SB 

19! 

SltCl^ S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY— BULLETIN NO. 182. 

B. T. GALLOWAY, Chief of Bureau. 



TEN YEARS' EXPERIENCE WITH 
THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 



MARK ALFRED CARLETON, 
Cerealist in Charge of Grain Investigations. 



Issued September 8, 1910. 




^^ 






WASHINGTON: 

government printing office. 

1910. 



^., 




Rook .^2. 



^^ 7 



Bui. 1 82, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



Plate I. 




y. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 

BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY— BULLETIN NO. 182. 



B. T. GALLOWAY, Chief of Bureau. 



TEN YEARS' EXPERIENCE WITH 
THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 



MARK ALFRED CARLETON, 
Cereallst in Charge of Grain Investigations. 



Issued September 8, 1910. 




WASHINGTON: 

government printing office, 

1910. 



^^ 






BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTRY. 



Chief of Bureau , Beverly T. Galloway. 
Assistant Chief of Bureau, G. Harold Powell. 
Editor, J. E. Rockwell. 
Chief Clerk, James E. Jones. 



Grain Investigations. 

scientific staff. 

Mark Alfred Carleton, Cerealist in Charge. 
W. M. Jardine, C. R. Ball, C. W. Warburtou, and H. B. Derr, Agronomists. 

E. C. Johnson, Pathologist. 
C. E. Chambliss, Expert. 

John F. Ross, Farm Superintendent. 

H. F. Blanchard and H. J. C. Umberger, Assistant Agronomists. 

F. R. Babcock, V. L. Cory, F. D. Farrell, and W. G. Shelley, Assistants. 

E. L. Adams, L. C. Burnett, Manley Champlin, E. P. Humbert, J. Mitchell Jenkins, T. A. Kiesselbach, 
A. A. Potter, and Cecil Salmon, Special Agents. 
182 



D. OF D. 

SEP 9 1910 






LFiTTHR OF TRANSMITTAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

Bureau of Plant Industry, 

Office of the Chief, 

Washington, D. C, March 28, 1910. 

Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a paper entitled "Ten 
Years' Experience with the Swedish Select Oat," by Mr, Mark Alfred 
Carleton, Cerealist in Charge of Grain Investigations, and to recom- 
mend that it be published as Bulletin No. 182 of the series of this 
Bureau. 

Twelve years or more ago, while considerable attention was paid 
to the oat crop in this country, there was no definite idea of the 
adaptation of varieties to different portions of the United States and 
there was great need of varieties that would give much better results 
in certain localities than were obtained by those then grown. About 
that time several different kinds of wheat, oats, barley, and other 
cereals were introduced into this country, particularly from Russia. 
Among these was the Swedish Select oat, obtained by the writer of 
the accompanying paper while acting as Agricultural Explorer for this 
Bureau. This soon proved to be admirably adapted to the northern 
portion of the United States. 

This paper discusses the many experiments and observations made 
concerning this oat at several of the experiment stations and on 
numerous farms during the past ten years. 
Respectfully, 

O. H. Powell, 
Acting Chief of Bureau. 

Hon. James Wilson, 

Secretary of Agriculture. 

182 3 



CONTENTS 



Page. 

Introduction 7 

Characteristics * 7 

Results of trials in this country 8 

Trials by experiment stations 9 

Wisconsin 9 

North Dakota 13 

Montana 14 

South Dakota 16 

Washington 18 

Colorado 18 

Iowa 18 

Alaska 20 

Miscellaneous 20 

Trials by farmers 20 

Washington 20 

Idaho 21 

Colorado 21 

Montana 22 

Michigan 23 

South Dakota 24 

New York 25 

Wisconsin 25 

Miscellaneous 28 

Interesting individual trial 29 

Recent reports 30 

Quality of the kernel in the Swedish Select oat 31 

Chemical analyses 35 

Value of the introduction 35 

Index 39 

182 5 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



PLATES. 

Page. 
Plate I. Heads of the Swedish Select oat grown at Sitka, Alaska, 

in 1903 Frontispiece. 

II. Three varieties of oats introduced by the United States Department 
of Agriculture : A, Sixty-Day; B, Swedish Select: C, North Finnish 

Black 8 

III. Field of Swedish Select oats on the experiment station farm at Madi- 
son, Wis. , in 1906 14 

IV. Kernels of Swedish Select and Lincoln oats 32 

TEXT FIGURES. 

Fig. 1. Field of Swedish Select oats in shock, at Edgeley, N. Dak., in 1904 15 

2. Map of the United States, the shaded portion showing the region to 

which the Swedish Select oat is adapted 19 

3. Diagram showing in millions of bushels the rapid increase in the pro- 

duction of Swedish Select oats in Wisconsin from 1903 to 1908 36 

4. Diagram showing in millions of dollars the average farm value of the 

entire oat crop in Wisconsin, that of the Swedish Select oat, and the 
annual increase in the farm value of the entire crop due to the use of 

the Swedish Select variety 37 

182 
6 



B. p. I.— 566. 



TEN YEARS' EXPERIENCE WITH THH 
SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 



INTRODUCTION. 

In the region between the Great Lakes and the Rocky Mountains 
one of the best-known varieties of oat at present is the Swedish Select. 
The annual production of this variety in the area mentioned is already 
at least 50,000,000 bushels, and in certain localities it lias for some 
time entirely replaced all other kinds. It is the most popular oat in 
Wisconsin and adjacent tlistricts, and the acreage sown each year has 
increased rapidly. Yet up to 1899 this oat was quite unknown in 
North America. 

The Swedish Select oat was introduced into the United States by 
the writer in the spring of 1899 in time for planting that season. It 
was obtained, along with other cereals, while making an exploration 
of the cold and semiarid regions of Russia and western Siberia in 
1898-99 in search of cereals adapted to corresponding conditions in 
this country. At the same time two other oat varieties were obtained, 
one of which, the Tobolsk, is of much value, but the Swedish Select 
is proving to be by far the best of the three in nearly every respect. 
It originated in Sweden as a pedigree variety developed by selection 
many years ago and was afterwards grown in Finland and in St. 
Petersburg Province, Russia. Under the severe weather conditions 
of these localities it became well acclimated for a cold and dry 
climate. 

CH AR ACTE RI STICS . 

The Swedish Select variety is a large-grained white oat, with a 
spreading top or panicle. (See PI. I.) The distinguishing marks are 
a blunt, plump kernel, with, usually, dark, slightly twisted awns and 
a heavy weight per bushel. It is a very prolific variety, which qual- 
ity, together with the size and weight of the kernel, is no doubt the 
result of previous selection. The usual weight per bushel is 34 to 36 
pounds, while in Montana a weight of 44 to 46 pounds is not rare. In 
order, therefore, to appreciate its real superiority over other varie- 
ties in yield per acre, comparison must be made on the basis of bushels 
182 7 



8 TEN YEAKS EXPERIENCE WITH THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

by weight instead of measured bushels. It also grows to a consider- 
able height and produces much straw, its chief fault being a tendency 
toward overproduction of straw when grown on rich or low land. 
The roots are large and vigorous, giving the plants hardiness in cold 
or dry seasons. This quality was probably developed during the 
period of acclimation in northern Russia. Plate II shows a sample 
of the Swedish Select oat in comparison with two other introduced 
oats, Sixty-Day and North Finnish Black. 

RESULTS OF TRIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 

Only 20 bushels of seed of the Swedish Select oat were obtained in 
the original introduction." One other importation of 160 bushels 
was made through Mr, E. A. Bessey in 1901.'' However, a large per- 
centage of the present production has descended from the 20 bushels 
received in 1899. 

In another publication of this Department "" the following statement 
by the writer is made at the close of a description of this oat: 

In this country it will be suitable for cultivation in all the extreme Northern States, 
from New York to Washington, and in southern Alaska. 

With the exception that northern New England might have been 
included, no statement could be more completely and accurately con- 
firmed by present results than this one has been after ten years of 
experience. The results of a long series of trials show that this variety 
is sharply limited in its adaptation to just the region mentioned and 
that it is not only much superior to other kinds previously grown in 
that region but is just as much inferior to other kinds in adaptation 
to other regions. It is just as worthless for Texas and Tennessee as 
it is superior for Wisconsin and Montana. 

The whole series of trials of the Swedish Select oat in the United 
States and the accompanying results have been extremely interest- 
ing. No other introduced oat has been so thoroughly and widely 
tested.*^ 

This oat was grown on the experimental plats of the Agricultural 
Academy at Moscow, Russia, and was considered by Professor Wil- 
liams, of that institution, to be an excellent variety for the North. 

a Inventory No. 4, Division of Botany, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1899, p. 3 (S. P. I. 
No. 2788), and Inventory No. 7, same series, 1900, p. 13 (S. P. 1. No. 2788). 

b Bulletin 66, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, p. 276 (S. P. I. 
No. 9422). 

c See "Russian Cereals Adapted for Cultivation in the United States," Bulletin 23, 
Division of Botany, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1900, p. 21. 

d It may be of interest, however, to state that another variety, the Sixty-Day, also 
from Russia, stands second in the attention it is receiving and promises to become 
fully as popular as the Swedish Select, although it is adapted to conditions largely 
just the opposite of those required by the latter oat. 
.182 



Bui. 182, Bureau of Plant Industry, U S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



Plate II. 



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RESULTS OF TEIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 9 

TRIALS BY EXPERIMENT STATIONS. 

A large part of the seed of the fu-st introduction was placed imme- 
diately with the agricultural experiment stations in the Northern 
States and planted in the spring of 1899. From this time forward 
the most extensive trials have been made at the experiment stations 
in Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Montana. A report of these trials 
will be given. In Wisconsin and North Dakota the experiments 
have for some time constituted a part of the regular series conducted 
in cooperation with this Bureau. 

Wisconsin. 

The results obtained by the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment 
Station have been exceedingly interesting. Only 6 pounds of seed 
were sent to the station, and this quantity was sown on a tenth-acre 
plat. In the words of Prof. R. A. Moore, agronomist — "' 

The results were so favorable that an effort waa put forth to improve them by selec- 
tion and careful grading of the seed for each season's crop. In all comparisons with 
selected varieties of oats the Swedish were equal to the best in point of yield and had 
several desirable characteristics superior to other varieties. 

Concerning the good qualities of this variety, Professor Moore 
states as follows:^ 

The Swedish Select oats (Wisconsin No. 4) seem especially adapted for high, well- 
drained land, and the best-known returns are from clay-loam soils. The great root devel- 
opment is one of the characteristics of the Swedish oats, which enables the plant to 
resist drought better than any other variety tested. The straw is coarse and is noted 
for its stiffness and power to withstand lodging. The Swedish oats lodged for the first 
time during the four years' test on the experimental farm the past season, this being 
due to the severe storm of July. 

On the experiment station farm such good results were obtained 
in 1899 and 1900 that 7^ acres were sown in 1901, with the view of 
increasing the quantity of seed for distribution throughout the State. 
This crop made 306 bushels, a yield of 40.8 bushels per acre, in spite 
of the serious drought of that season. This drought, though it 
appears to have been particularly severe at Madison, where this 
good crop of Swedish Select oats was grown, was general throughout 
the State and, in fact, throughout the Northwest. The average 
yield of oats for the State was thereby reduced to less than 30 bushels 
per acre. There is shown, therefore, in this comparison a striking 
exliibition of the drought-resisting quality of the Swedish Select. 

In the mean time there was organized the Wisconsin Agricultural 
Experiment Association, composed of people connected with the 
Wisconsin College of Agriculture, which association has become 
extremely effective in improving the crops of the State. Seed of 

a Third Annual Report, Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Association, p. 9. 
ft First Annual Report, Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Association, p. 16. 

38839°— Bui. 182—10 2 



10 TEN years' experience WITH THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

the Swedish Select oat was sold to members of this association, and in 
1902 forty-one members grew this oat in thirty-three different counties 
of the State. The average yield per acre from all these trials was 
53 bushels, while the average yield of ordinary oats for the State 
was 40 bushels. No doubt a part of this difference in yield should 
be credited to the better methods of cultivation that would Ukely 
be practiced by these men, but it is probable that the larger per- 
centage of increase was due to the variety employed. In 1903, 
1904, and 1907 certain members of the association grew other varie- 
ties in comparison with the Swedish Select, with results here tabulated 
as follows : 

1903. 

Number of members reporting 100 

Number of acres sown 538i 

Number of bushels harvested 23, 705 

Average number of bushels per acre of Swedish Select 44 

Average number of bushels per acre of other varieties 37. 5 

1904. 

Number of members reporting 30 

Number of acres sown 352 

Number of bushels harvested 18, 300 

Average number of bushels per acre of Swedish Select 45 

Average number of bushels per acre of other varieties 40 

1907. 

Number of members reporting 96 

Number sowing on fall-plowed land 64 

Number sowing on spring-plowed land 32 

Number sowing with a drill 44 

Number sowing with a seeder 46 

Number treating for prevention of smut 25 

Number of cases where oats were smutted 17 

Number of cases where oats rusted badly 61 

Average number of bushels per acre of Swedish Select 27. 9 

Average number of bushels per acre of other varieties 24. 3 

Seed has been sold by members of the experiment association to 
other farmers of the State, until the Swedish Select oat has become 
very widely distributed. Professor Moore estimates that 150,000 
bushels were grown in 1903, 4,000,000 bushels in 1904, and in 1905 
8,000,000 bushels by at least 10,000 farmers. In 1906 about 12,000,- 
000 bushels were produced, and in 1907 at least 20,000,000 bushels, 
though the season was very unfavorable. In 1908 no less than 
30,000,000 bushels were harvested, or over two-fifths of the entire 
oat crop of the State. These estimates refer only to the crop de- 
scended from the original 6 pounds of seed sent to the experiment 
station. There is a considerable production in Wisconsin descended 
from other seed and referred to in another place. About three- 
fourths of the members of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment 
Association were growing the Swedish Select oat in 1908. 

182 



RESULTS OF TRIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 



11 



The results of a 10-year yield test of the Swedish Select oat in 
comparison with that of a number of other good varieties at the 
Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station are summarized below 
in bushels per acre, the average yield for the State being given 
also for further comparison : 

Table I. — Yield to the acre of the Swedish Select oat compared ivith that of other varieties 
grown at the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station and throughout the State 
from 1899 to 1908, inclusive. 



Year. 


Swedish 
Select. 


Highest 

yield of 

any other 

variety. 


Average 
of all 
other 

varieties. 


Average 
yield of 
oats in 
Wiscon- 
sin. 


1899 


Bushels. 
50.6 
64.5 
38.1 
69.2 
72.0 
62.0 
50.0 
39.0 
12.5 
50.0 


Bushels. 
65.0 
79.2 
46.8 
61.3 
72.5 
64.0 
66.8 
78.1 
33.7 
63.6 


Bushels. 
49.4 
49.4 
30.2 
46.1 
59.0 
50.3 
43.4 
32.6 
17.5 
45.0 


Bushels. 
36.0 


1900 


32.0 


1901 


29.1 


1902 


39.9 


1903 


32.8 


1904 


35.0 


1905 


39.0 


1906 


37.4 


1907 


22.0 


1908 


31.1 






Average 


50.8 


63.1 


42.3 


33.4 







Table I shows that the yield per acre of the Swedish Select oat 
as an average for 10 years is 50.8 bushels and is 8.5 bushels greater 
than the average yield of all other varieties tested during this time. 
An average of the highest yield reached by any other variety during 
the period is 63.1 bushels. This statement must not be misunder- 
stood. The highest yield was not made by the same variety each 
year. The Swedish Select made the greatest average yield for the 
10-year period. With reference to the yield of the Swedish Select 
oat in 1907, Professor Moore comments as follows: 

Our test plots were located in a hollow, and the heavy rains during the summer par- 
tially flooded some of the ground, and the oats were badly lodged and affected with rust 
to such an extent that the crop was almost a failure. A member of our experiment 
association, who lives near the university farm, has been carrying on tests with these 
(Swedish Select) oats for several years under our direction. I almost think it would 
be fair to use his figures in this report as he has been carrying on his work in accordance 
with my directions for several years. His report on 18 acres this year with the Swedish 
Select oats is 33 bushels to the acre. 

The seven varieties yielding the highest per acre for the period 
1899-1903 are as follows: 

Bushels. 

Swedish Select 58. 8 

Big Four 56. 3 

Silver Mine 55. 6 

Early Gothland 54. 8 

Lincoln 53. 6 

Wisconsin Wonder 53. 5 

Siberian 53. 

182 



12 TEN years' experience WITH THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

The figures for the Swedish Select and the Siberian varieties are 
for the full 5-year period. The other varieties, except the Wisconsin 
Wonder, were sown first in 1900, and the average yields are therefore 
for 4 years only, while the Wisconsin Wonder was grown only in the 
3 years from 1901 to 1903. The same varieties made the highest 
yields for the 7-year period from 1899 to 1905, but in the following 
order : 

Bushels. 

Swedish Select 58. 1 

Wisconsin Wonder 56. 1 

Big Four 55. 3 

Siberian 54. 9 

Early Gothland 53. 5 

Lincoln 53. 3 

Silver Mine 50. 9 

The Swedish Select is the only one of the seven varieties that was 
grown every year of this period. The Siberian, Early Gothland, and 
Silver Mine were grown for 6 years, and the Wisconsin Wonder, Big 
Four, and Lincoln for 5 years. The average yield per acre of the 
Swedish Select oat for 7 years is 2 bushels greater than that of the 
Wisconsin Wonder, standing next highest, though from fifteen to thirty- 
five good varieties were compared during this time, while during 8 
years it averaged 3.3 bushels per acre more than the Siberian, which 
yielded next highest for that period. 

Such figures as the foregoing do not, however, give an accurate 
idea of the yields, as all varieties are not always grown the same years. 
By substituting Tobolsk for Lincoln we have seven kinds, some or all 
of which have been grown every year of certain periods. For exam- 
ple, the seven were grown each of the 6 years from 1901 to 1904, 1906, 
and 1907, with average yields per acre as follows: 

Bushels. 

Swedish Select 59. 5 

Wisconsin Wonder 47. 3 

Siberian 44. 1 

Early Gothland 42.5 

Big Four 41. 6 

Silver Mine 40. 8 

Tobolsk 36.1 

Six of these seven varieties were each grown every year of the 

7-year period from 1900 to 1904, 1906, and 1907, and another series 

of six was grown every year of the 7-year period from 1901 to 1904 

and from 1906 to 1908, with yields as follows: 

Period, 1900-1904, 1906, and 1907. 

Bushels. 

Swedish Select 60. 2 

Big Four 46.3 

Siberian 45. 1 

Silver, Mine 45. 

Early Gothland 43. 6 

Tobolsk 38.7 

182 



RESULTS OF TRIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 13 

I'criod, 19()l-190i and 1906-1908. 

Bushels. 

Swedish Select 58. 2 

Wisconsin Wonder 46. 

Early Gothland 43. 1 

Big Four 42. 4 

Silver Mine 42. 2 

Tobolsk 36. 8 

Five of these seven varieties were grown every year of an 8-year 
period, 1900-1904 and 1906-1908, with the following average acre 
yields : 

Bushels. 

Swedish Select 58. 9 

Big Four 46.7 

Silver Mine 45. 7 

Early Gothland 44. 

Tobolsk 39. 2 

Three varieties were grown every year of the 9-year period from 
1900 to 1908, with yields as follows: 

Bushels. 

Swedish Select 57. 9 

Silver Mine 44. 9 

Early Gothland 43.3 

The Swedish Select is the only variety grown during the entire 10- 
year period from 1899 to 1908, giving an average acre yield of 50.8 
bushels, as already mentioned. (See PI. III.) 

This summary of the tests at the Wisconsin Agricultural Experi- 
ment Station, in which many good varieties were employed, indicates 
a complete victory for the Swedish Select oat. To give an average 
yield during 9 years of 13 bushels more than the Silver Mine, and dur- 
ing 8 years of 12.2 bushels more than the Big Four, which the Swedish 
Select has done, is an indication of exceptional merit, as these two 
oats are considered among the best in the North-Central States. The 
Wisconsin Wonder stands high in one of the 7-year periods and is 
apparently a good oat. 

The Sixty-Day oat was grown each year of the last 4 years, 1905- 
1908, and during these years gave an average yield of 59.1 bushels, 
considerably larger than that of the Swedish Select for the same 
period. This period, however, includes particularly unfavorable years 
for the latter, compared with other sorts. During an 8-year period 
the Swedish Select oat gave an average yield almost equal to that of 
the Sixty-Day for the 4 years from 1905 to 1908. 

North Dakota. 

A valuable characteristic of the Swedish Select oat is its hardiness 
in seasons of drought and cold and its ability to produce well on high, 
poor land. On the other hand, under very favorable conditions for 
oat production it is likely to prove inferior to other good varieties. 

182 



14 TEN YEAES' EXPERIENCE WITH THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

This fact is well illustrated in the results obtained at the North Da- 
kota Agricultural Experiment Station at Fargo. This experiment 
station is located in the Red River Valley, a region of low elevation 
having a rich, black soil and a good average rainfall. In recent 
years the rainfall has been considerably above the average, finally 
resulting in 1905 in actual inundations of portions of the valley, 
including the site of the experiment station. Accordingly, no com- 
parison of yields of oats can be given for 1905. The loss of seed by 
fire prevented the sowing of the Swedish Select variety in 1901 . For 
the remaining years from 1899 to 1908 the yield per acre of the 
Swedish Select, compared with other varieties, is as follows: 

Table II. — Yield to the acre of the Swedish Select oat compared with that of other varieties 
grown at the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and throughout the State 
from 1899 to 1908, except 1901 and 1905. 



Year. 


Yield of 

Swedish 

Select. 


Highest 
yield of 
any other 
variety. 


Average 
yield of 
all other 
varieties. 


Average 
yield of 
oats in 
North 
Dakota. 


1899 


Bushels. 
75.4 
23.0 
30.8 
68.2 
54.6 
48.1 
58.7 
67.0 


Bushels. 
81.1 
45.7 
72.2 
77.3 
75.4 
55.6 
78.0 
95.2 


Bushels. 
70.7 
29.1 
40.7 
62.8 
57.8 
46.6 
58.1 
79.8 


Bushels. 
30 


1900 


10.3 


1902 


38.4 


1 903 


27.4 


1904 


37.4 


1906 


32.5 


1907 


24.5 


1908 


23.4 






A verage 


53.2 


72.6 


55.7 


28.0 







It will be observed that here the Swedish Select compares unfavor- 
ably with other varieties, its yield per acre being less than the average 
for all others in the years 1900, 1902, 1904, and 1908, and its average 
for the 8 years less by 2^ bushels than the average for all other 
varieties for that period. It remains, however, pretty nearly an 
average variety in yield for that region, and is superior to many others 
in size and weight of kernel. As might be supposed, it has done much 
better in higher and drier portions of the State westward. Prof. J. H. 
Shepperd, collaborator in these investigations, writes as follows : 

The Swedish Select oat has not proven a very good variety under local conditions. 
It does far better on our lighter and drier soil. 

At the branch experiment station at Edgeley, N. Dak., in 1903 and 
1904 this variety gave good results, making a yield per acre consider- 
ably greater than the average of all other varieties. (See fig. 1.) 

Montana. 

At the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, atBozeman, the 
conditions for oat cultivation are even more favorable ordinarily than 
at Fargo, N. Dak. Here, also, in a 5-year trial the Swedish Select 
oat gave yields inferior to those of a number of other varieties. In 

182 



Bui. 1 82, Bureau of Plan* Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



Plate III. 




RESULTS OP TRIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 



15 



addition to the low-lying rich soil and excollont climate the oat plats 
had the advantage of irrigation. Other trials hy farmers in other 
parts of the State were made under conditions of "dry farming" 
without irrigation. Results are available only for the period from 
1900 to 1905, inclusive, and through some oversight the Swedish 
Select variety was not sown at the experiment station in 1902. This 
hai)pene(l, too, to be a 3"ear of enormous yields, one variety, the Wide 
Awake, yielding 172.5 bushels per acre. For the remaining years 




Fig. 1.— Field of Swedish Select oats iii shouk, at Edgeley, N. Dak., in 1U04. 

in this period from 1900 to 1905 the yield of the Swedish Select, com- 
pared with five other varieties, was as follows: 

Table III. — Yield to the acre of the Swedish Select oat compared with that of five other 
varieties grown at the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station during 1900 and 1901 
and from 1903 to 1905. 



Variety. 















Weight 


1900. 


1901. 


1903. 


1904. 


1905. 


Average. 


per 
bushel. 


Bush. 


Bu-sh. 


Bush. 


Bush. 


Bush. 


Busheh. 


Pounds. 


93.2 


92.4 


127.5 


137.4 


112.5 


112.6 


41.6 


99.5 


92.4 


114.4 


135.2 


138.8 


116.1 


41.1 


79.6 


94.3 


120.0 


141.7 


115.6 


110.2 


41.9 


79.6 


95.2 


97.5 


153.4 


112.5 


107.6 


41.5 


93.2 


100.2 


99.4 


133. 4 


108.8 


107.0 


44.1 


95.6 


87.7 


113.4 


113.1 


112.5 


104. 5 


40.6 



Period of 
growth. 



Progress 

White Danish. 
Wide Awake. . 

Scotch 

Swedish Select 
Bland's White 



Dai/s. 
IIS.O 
118.0 
117.0 
116.0 
111.5 
122.0 



The Swedish Select oat stands fifth in the list in yield. These varie- 
ties only were grown in 1905. For the years 1900, 1901, 1903, and 
1904 the following other varieties made an average yield greater than 
that of the Swedish Select, while several fell below it: 

Bushels. 

Mogheda 109. 8 

American White 109. 2 

American Beauty 107. 9 

Archangc4 106. 9 

It will be noted in Table III that the Swedish Select oat stands 
much above the others in weight per bushel. It is also four days 
earlier than any other variety. Only one variety out of fifteen, the 

182 



16 TEN YEAKS' EXPERIENCE WITH THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

Badger Queen (not grown in 1905), weighed more than the Swedish 
Select, the average weight of the former for four years being 44.5 

pounds per bushel. 

South Dakota. 

Next to Wisconsin, more attention has been given to the Swedish 
Select oat at the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, at 
Brookings," than at any other point. Here this oat has been grown 
throughout the 10-year period from 1899 to 1908, but in 1902 no 
results were reported because of the damage by wind, and in 1903 all 
varieties were entirely destroyed by hail. Therefore, actual results 
are available for only 8 years out of the 10. 

During the period mentioned, 1899-1908, many varieties of oats 
were grown, a number of them having just been introduced by the 
writer from Russia and other foreign countries. In the following 
table is given the yield per acre obtained with some of the best sorts, 
only two of which, the Swedish Select and the Tobolsk, were grown 
each of the eight years. 

Table IV. — Yield to the acre of the Sivedish Select oat compared with that of other varieties 
grown at the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station from 1899 to 1901 and 
from 1904 to 1908. 



Variety. 


1899. 


1900. 


1901. 


1904. 


190.". 


1906. 


19(17. 


1908. 


Averafce. 


Num- 
ber of 
years 
grown. 


Swedish Select 


Bush. 
41.65 
35 50 


Bush. 
22.7 
24.3 


Bush. 
59.0 
57.0 
65. 


Bush. 
70.0 
55.6 
69. 6 
50.7 
40.8 
46.8 
54.7 
52.7 
55.0 
05.0 
55.0 
51.7 
54.7 
58.0 
56. 
28.0 


Bush. 
45.3 
40.6 
80.0 
24.3 
20.6 
30.2 
35.2 
30.5 
28.7 
35.7 
22.8 
24.1 
25.6 
31.9 
27.5 
37.5 


Bush. 

61 . 6 
47.5 
61.6 
42.2 
19.4 
32.7 
42.7 
45.5 
43,8 
40.8 
44.4 
35.0 
37.2 
42.8 
42.4 
42.8 


Bush. 
24.1 
5.0 
24.4 
14.1 

"k'.i' 

10.9 
10.3 

5.0 
11.9 
11.9 
14.4 
17.8 
13.8 

9.1 


Bush. 

25.0 

21.8 

59.2 

17.0 

8.4 

13.4 

2.5 

4.3 

5.0 

20.6 

5.4 

12.5 

16.2 

15.0 

6.2 

26. 8 


Bushels. 
43. 67 
35.91 
59. 90 
29.78 
23 8 
30.77 
28. 64 
28.78 
28.08 
33.42 
28.02 
27.04 
29.62 
33.22 
29.3 
28.84 


8 


Tobolsk 


g 


Sixty-Day 




6 








5 


White Sohoenen, No ITvi 








4 


Bavarian. No. 150 








4 


Banner, No. 100 








5 


-\merican Triumph, No. 1(:2 








5 


American Beauty. No. 163 








5 


North Finnish Black 








5 


Holstein Prolific, No. 158 








5 


Wide Awake, No. 154 








5 


Abyssinian, No. 155 








5 


Columbus, No. 156 








5 


Oolden Beauty, No. 159 








5 


Belvak, No. 10624 








5 






1 





It is seen that the Swedish Select variety yielded better than any 
other oat except the Sixty-Day, which gave a much better average 
for the years it was grown, 1901-1908. During these same years the 
Swedish Select average was 47.5 bushels, while 59.96 bushels was the 

« All the experiments were cooperative between this Bureau and the state experi- 
ment station and were undertaken with Prof. E. C. Chilcott (now of this Bureau) in 
charge of the department of agronomy at the state station and were continued after- 
wards while his former assistant, Mr. J. S. Cole, was in charge of the same department. 
Early in 1908 Prof. C. Willis was elected to this position, and beginning with the 
season of 1909 all cooperative experiments with the Office of Grain Investigations have 
been concentrated at Ilighmore, S. Dak., with Mr. Manley Champlin, special agent of 
this Bureau, in immediate charge. 
1S2 



RESULTS OF TRIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 



17 



Sixty-Day average. The latter is already to a large extent replacing 
the former in eastern sections of the State. Until recently the Swedish 
Select has been by far the most popular oat and is still largely em- 
ployed in the drier districts. .It is an attractive oat, because of the 
size and weight of its kernel and its usual freedom from discoloration. 
The Tobolsk and the North Finnish Black, standing third and fourth 
in rank, respectively, are also northern varieties adapted to cool, dry 
seasons and high plains. (See PI. II.) 

Through the medium of the state experiment stations a considerable 
distribution of seed of the Swedish Select oat was made to farmers 
in South Dakota and North Dakota. Concerning this distribution 
in South Dakota, Mr. J. S. Cole wrote as follows: « 

It was distributed in this State by the state experiment station in 1901. In 1902 
a more extensive distribution was made, and every yeaj" since several hundred 
bushels have been sold to farmers by the station. In the western part of the State it 
has made a good crop in years when the common varieties were a total failure, but in 
the eastern and southeastern portions of the State in years of excessive moisture it is 
likely to grow too rank and to be damaged by rust. It is no more subject to damage 
in this way, however, than are all common varieties of oats. 

At the branch experiment station at Highmore, S. Dak., the Swe- 
dish Select oat was grown during the period from 1903 to 1909, 
inclusive.^ Here the conditions are usually severe for oat growing, 
and this variety gave good results compared with others, as is shown 
in the following table: 

Table V. — Yield to the acre of the Swedish Select oat compared with that of other varieties 
grown at the branch experiment station at Highmore, S. Dak., from 1903 to 1909 
inclusive. ' 



Variety. 


1903. 


1904. 


1905. 


1906. 


1907. 


1908. 


1909. 


Aver- 
age for 

4 years 
(190(>- 
1909). 


Aver- 
age for 
5 vears 
(i905- 
1909). 


Aver- 
age for 
7 years 
(1903- 
1909). 


Swedish Select 


Bush. 
38.1 
24.1 


Bush. 
54.4 
41.3 


Bush. 
55 


Bush. 


Bush. 
30.8 
31.5 
28.7 
21.8 
26.5 
26.5 
35.3 
31.5 
25.0 
30.6 
26.8 
23.4 
26. 2 


Bush. 
32.9 
47.5 
45.8 
32.8 
21.3 
27.5 
25.3 
26.3 
28.1 
29.7 
30.3 
30.3 
22.5 
25.0 
28.9 
25.0 


Bush. 
36.6 
28.8 
21.9 
23.4 
22.8 
17.2 
20.3 
20.3 
16.3 
15.6 
15.0 
12.5 
17.8 
12.8 
10.6 
4.7 


Bush. 
41.3 
37.8 
41.5 
31.8 
31.6 
32.9 
32.2 
31.9 
30.5 
30.4 
29.6 
29.6 
28.8 
28.5 
26.7 
25.2 


Bush. 
44.1 
43.1 


Bush. 


Sixtj'-Day 


64 1 « is ^ 




Kherson 




69.7 
49.1 
55.6 
60.3 
47.8 
49.4 
52.5 
45.6 
46.3 
52.2 
48.8 




Red Algerian 






60.3 
52.5 


37.5 
35.7 




Belvak 








Golden Beauty 








American Beautv 












American Triumph 












Columbus 












Lincoln 












Danish 












Canadian 










Holstein Prolific 










Abvssinian 








50. 9 25. 3 
42. 5 24. 6 

44. 7 2fi. 2 




Wide Awake 








White Tartar 








1 1 




1 





* This yield of the Sixty-Day oat is not comparable with any of the others for that year, as it wa« grown 
after sorghum, while all the others were grown under better conditions. This is proved by the fact that 
the Swedish Select was duplicated on the sorghum ground and made there only 42.8 bushels per acre. 
However, using this figure the 7-year average, 41.5 bushels, thus resulting for the Swedish Select is still 
somewhat larger than that for the Sixty-Day. 



a Bulletin 96, South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, March, 1906, p. 54. 

bThe tabulations in this bulletin usually do not go further than the year 1908, but 
there are so few years' results at Highmore, S. Dak., that it seems necessary to 
include here the year 1909. 

38839°— Bui. 182—10 3 



18 TEN years' experience WITH THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

Taking an average of all trials in each case, the Swedish Select 
variety gave the best yield, though the Kherson yielded a trifle 
"better in the 4-year average, 1906-1909, The yield of the Swedish 
Select at Highmore in 1903 was not quite as good as the average 
oat yield throughout the State (38.6 bushels), because of severe 
drought in that district. Highmore is considerably west of the one 
hundredth meridian, where it is ordinarily very dry for oats. On the 
other hand, in 1905 (a wet season) and 1908 the Sixty-Da\^ exceeded 
the Swedish Select in yields. With reference to the crop of 1903, 
Prof. E. C. Chilcott wrote as follows: 

It is worthy of note that at the driest time the Swedish Select oat appeared to be 
the most drought-resistant grain on the farm, with the Minnesota No. 6 Manchuria 
barley a close second. This appearance was borne out by the yields at harvest lime. 

Washington. 

The Swedish Select oat was grown on the Washington Agricul- 
tural Experiment Station farm at Pullman during three seasons. 
In 1903 it made 55 bushels per acre. In 1904 it yielded 86 bushels, 
in comparison with 82.5 bushels as the highest for any other variety 
and an average of 61.3 bushels for all other kmds. In 1905 it yielded 
53 bushels, the same as the average for all others, while it was ex- 
ceeded by one variety, the Sixty-Day, which yielded 84 bushels. The 
average yields for the State during these years were 47.9 bushels in 
1903; 44.9 bushels in 1904; and 50 bushels in 1905. The results 
reported by farmers from other portions of the State where the 
climate is drier were much more to the credit of the Swedish Select. 

Colorado. 

In 1900 the Swedish Select oat yielded 18 bushels per acre at the 
branch experiment station at Cheyenne Wells, Colo., where, at that 
time, it was hardly expected that any cereal crop would produce 
anything. The average yield of this variety at the Colorado Agri- 
cultural Experiment Station, at Fort Collins, for the years from 1905 
to 1907 was 88.4 bushels, the average of all other varieties being 
86.8 bushels for the same period. 

Iowa. 

As already mentioned, the Swedish Select oat is adapted particu- 
larly to the Northern States. Iowa may be considered as a transition 
area between the northern and central districts (see fig. 2). As 
might be expected, therefore, this oat does not compare quite so well 
with other varieties in that State as farther north, but nevertheless 
ranks rather high in acre yields. In the several 3'ears' experiments 
conducted at Ames by the Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, 
some results of which were published by Prof. M. L. Bowman in a 

182 



RESULTS OF TRIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 



19 



"Seed Oat Special," it was found to stand third in yield among six- 
teen good varieties as an average of four years' trials, 1905-1908. 




Fig. 2.— Map of the United Slates, the shaded portion showing the region to which the Swedish Select 

oat is adapted. 

The following is a tabular statement of the average date of ripening, 
acre 3'ield, and weight per bushel of the sixteen varieties: 

Table VI. — Average date of ripening, acre yield, and weight per bushel of the Sivedish 
Select oat compared with those of fifteen other varieties grown at the Iowa Agricultural 
Experiment Station from 1905 to 1908, inclusive. 



Average 
Variety. date of yield p~er ^""^^^^ 

bushel. 



Kherson 

Silver Mine 

Swedish Select. . 

Sixty-Day 

Minnesota, No. 2 

National 

White Alaska. . . 

Irish Victor 

White Russian. . 
Minnesota, No. 

Joanette 

Siberian 

Early Champion 

Tartar King 

White Tartar 

Danish 



Average 


Average 


date of 


yield per 


ripening. 


acre. 




Bushels. 


July 15 


60.2 


July 23 


56.0 


July 24 


50.5 


July 15 


48.7 


July 24 


47.6 


July 25 


47.4 


July 14 


47.0 


July 24 


46.9 


July 30 


46.3 


July 24 


45.7 


July 2(5 


45.3 


July 25 


44.5 


July 14 


44.4 


July 22 


40.1 


July 30 


37.4 


July 25 


35.2 



Pounds. 
30.00 
27.00 
29.50 
29.75 
25.25 
28.00 
30.75 
25.50 
26.50 
27.00 
27.75 
25.75 
29.30 
27.25 
28.75 
24.00 



Table VI shows that only two varieties, the Kherson and the 
Silver ]\line, exceed the Swedish Select in acre yields, and only three, 
the ^Miite Alaska, the Kherson, and the Sixty-Day, exceed it in 
weight per bushel. It may be considered, therefore, as one of the 
best varieties for Iowa, but not absolutely the best. 

182 



20 TEN years' experience with the SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

Alaska. 

Under the direction of Prof. C. C. Georgeson, Special Agent in 
charge of the Alaska Agricultural Experiment Sta,4ons, the Swedish 
Select oat has been tested at one or more points in Alaska in compe- 
tition with other varieties during the entire period from 1900 to 1908, 
except the season of 1901. In nearly all cases it either partially or 
fully matured, though in three instances it appears to have failed 
completely — at Kenai in 1903, at Sitka in 1904, and at Rampart in 
1905. In two of these instances all other varieties also failed. 

The weather conditions at Copper Center, though south of Rampart, 
are more severe than at the latter place, and cereals have usually done 
better at Rampart. Nevertheless, the Swedish Select oat at Copper 
Center was cut for seed in 1904 and gave a ''good average crop," the 
plants being "well filled." The plants matured also in 1905 and 
partially matured in 1906 and 1907. The North Finnish Black, an- 
other variety introduced by this Department, is the only one that 
has been constantly more successful than the Swedish Select. 

The specimen of the Swedish Select oat shown in Plate I was grown 

at Sitka in 1903. 

Miscellaneous. 

In some other States entirel}' outside of the northern oat district, 
such as Indiana and Ohio, the Swedish Select stands still farther 
removed from the top in yielding capacity in comparison with other 
kinds, according to results at the experiment stations, but even in 
those States gives results usually considerably better than the 
average. 

trials by farmers. 

While the tests of any crops made by farmers are not likely to be so 
accurate as a rule as those made at experiment stations, nevertheless 
more satisfactory information may often be obtained from such tests 
because of their greater number and the fact that they represent such 
a variety of conditions of soil and climate. The system of securing, 
filing, and summarizing reports devised in the Office of Grain Investi- 
gations and used in cooperation v/ith the Office of Seed and Plant 
Introduction and Distribution has made it possible to obtain a great 
amount of interesting Information concerning this new oat variet}'. 

It may be of value to the reader to give extracts from some of the 
most important reports on the Swedish Select oat received from 

farmers. 

Washington. 

Mr. Gilbert Engbritson, of Edison, Skagit County, Wash., 80 miles 
north of Seattle, wrote as follows on September 15, 1904: 

I beg to make a second report to yoiu' Department on the results of the second crop of 
the 2 pecks of ^o. 9422 Swedish Select oats mailed to my address February 16, 1903. 
182 



RESULTS OF TEIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 21 

The 2 pecks planted in 1903 produced the seed for planting 7 acres in 1904, which were 
thrashed on the 12th instant, yielding 1,050 bushels, averaging 150 bushels per acre — 
a remarkable yield of bright, heavy oats of excellent quality which has attracted the 
attention of the entire community. 

In 1906 Mr. Engbritson harvested 7,987 bushels, yielding 126 
bushels per acre. 

Mr. Anton Lehnhoff, of Mount Vernon, Wash., bought seed from 
Mr. Engbritson and in 19C3 obtained a crop of 9,600 bushels, at the 
rate of 90 bushels per acre, while other varieties on the same farm 
made 75 bushels. 

Idaho. 

Mr. F. W. Boehme, of Geneva, Idaho, has been a very successful 
cooperator in trials of different cereals received from this Department. 
His farm lies along the Thomas Fork of the Great Bear River, in 
extreme southwestern Idaho, at an elevation of 8,000 feet. On De- 
cember 26, 1905, he wrote the following statement: 

The Swedish Select oats yielded 1,988 pounds from 61J pounds of seed (correspond- 
ing to at least 65 bushels per acre), all nice, white, and heavy grain. 

Clark and Haughton, of St. Anthony, Idaho, thrashed 8,0.00 bushels 
of the Swedish Select in 1905, yielding 65 bushels per acre. Other 
oats on similar soil and under similar treatment yielded 45 bushels per 
acre and weighed 5 pounds less per measured bushel. 

Mr. J. D. Louis grew the Swedish Select oat 2 years at St. 
Anthony, Idaho. In 1906 a part of the crop was irrigated and a part 
not irrigated. A yield of 43^ bushels per acre was obtained on the 
irrigated land, compared with 35 to 40 bushels produced b}" other 
varieties. Another unirrigated field of 9 acres of the Swedish Select 
yielded at the rate of 70 bushels per acre, testing 40 pounds to the 
measured bushel. 

In 1903 the average yield of the Swedish Select oat grown by 
several farmers at Blackfoot, Idaho, was 60 bushels per acre, as 
reported by Prof. H. T. French, of the Idaho Agricultural Experi- 
ment Station. 

Colorado. 

Mr. C. H. Morgan, of Norwood, Colo., wrote as follows on Decem- 
ber 27, 1905: 

A very fine early oat and of good weight, 45 pounds to the measured bushel. The 
2 bushels you sent me weighed only 36 pounds to the bushel; therefore, I gained 9 
pounds per bushel the first year. 

Mr. Morgan obtained 60 bushels per acre, while other oats made 
30 bushels. In 1906 he harvested 32 bushels on one-fourth acre 
which weighed 45 pounds per bushel, while other varieties yielded 
40 bushels per acre. 

182 



22 TEN YEAES' EXPEKIENCE WITH THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

Mr. T. A. Wright grew this oat two years at Greenwood, Colo. 
In 1906 he obtained one bushel of oats from a seeding of 6^ quarts, 
and in 1907 obtained 15 bushels from one-half acre, weighing 35 
pounds to the bushel. He treated his oats thoroughly for smut pre- 
vention both seasons. 

Mrs. S. B. Walker, of Sedalia, Colo., grew the Swedish Select oat 
two years, 1906 and 1907, beginning with a very small quantity of 
seed. In 1907 the total number of bushels thrashed was 270, and 
the yield per acre 45 bushels. The highest yield made by any other 
variety was 30 bushels — the Colorado "VVliite. Mrs. Walker writes 
as follows: 

There is no imgation whatever on the place, and I am endeavoring to bring about 
strictly dry-farming cultivation, most of the so-called dry farming in the vicinity 
being simply the raising of crops without water without any regard to previous culti- 
vation and preparation of land, and in almost every instance no regard is paid to the 
dry mulch. 

At Lansing, in eastern Colorado, Mr. A. S. Kester grew the Swedish 
Select oat in 1903, obtaining a very small yield per acre, but ex- 
plained it as follows: 

This was the only oat thrashed in this vicinity. We had no rain all summer. The 
season is considered the driest for the past 17 years with the exception of 1894. 

Of the crop of 1904 Mr. Kester writes the following: 

Bushels thrashed, G8; yield per acre, 14 bushels. The oats did not come up till 
the first, week in May. It was very dry here in early spring and after the middle of 
June. 

Mr. J. A. Riedesel, of Idalia, Colo., began growing the Swedish 
Select variety in 1903 and finally, after two partial failures, ob- 
tained 300 bushels in 1905, that is, 30 bushels per acre, other varie- 
ties yielding 25 bushels. 

Montana. 

Mr. C. H. Austin, of Cascade, Mont., obtained 62 bushels per acre 
in 1902, when other kinds of oats yielded from 30 to 50 bushels. He 
writes as follows: 

These oats had no irrigation, nor were they on extremely low land. We treated 
them for smut with formalin and had no trace of smut. 

Mr. W. W. Cook, of Chinook, Mont., reports as follows for 1903: 

Bushels thrashed, 800; yield per acre, 50 bushels, weighing 48 pounds per bushel. 
These are the finest oats I ever saw. I sent a sample to Bozeman the other day that 
weighed over 50 pounds per measured bushel. 

At the same place, the same season, ]\Ir. Rudolph Hermes thrashed 
900 bushels, yielding 64 bushels per acre. 
182 • 



RESULTS OF TRIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 23 

Mr. T. L. Black, of Whitehall, Mont., obtained 80 bushels per 
acre in 1904, weighing from 42 to 45 pounds per bushel. His 
remarks concerning the variety are as follows: 

This oat has proved to be extra early for me, and I consider it of great value in locali- 
ties where water runs short for a second irrigation. The water was applied June 20. 
I also find that 1^ bushels of seed per acre give better results when water is only 
available for one irrigation. Should be sown from April 1 to 10 when the above- 
mentioned conditions prevail. 

Mr. J. J. Patterson, of Truly, Mont., obtained 90 bushels per acre 
in 1904 and reports a weight of 52 pounds per measured bushel. 

At Bozeman, Mont., Mr. Jacob Carolus obtained 1,600 bushels of 
the Swedish Select oat on high land without irrigation, the yield being 
40 bushels per acre. 

Michigan. 

Mr. Marvin Babbitt, of Merson, Mich., reports as follows concern- 
ing his crop of 1903: 

Yield per acre, 48 bushels; quality of grain, excellent; average yield of other kinds 
in the same locality, about 30 bushels. The Swedish Select is decidedly the best 
grown in this locality. It is very plump and seems to possess all the properties an 
oat should have. 

Mr. B. F. Beckwith, of St. Clair, Mich., obtained 80 bushels per 
acre in 1905, when other oats in the locality yielded only 30 bushels. 
He whites as follows: 

As I sowed the sample in 1904 I think it was rather a remarkable yield, considering 
the average yield of oats in this vicinity. If, when it becomes acclimated, it does 
half as well it will be remarkable. 

In 1906 the yield per acre was 40 bushels, while other varieties on 
the same farm made 20 bushels. In 1908 occurred the greatest 
drought for many 3'ears. Even that season the Swedish Select 
yielded 40 bushels per acre. 

Mr. James S. Bailey, of East Paris, Mich., at the end of four years' 
trial writes the following: 

I think these are the best oats that I have raised, and I shall sow mostly the Swedish 
Select this next year. 

In 1906 Mr. Bailey's crop was 193 bushels, a yield at the rate of 37 
bushels per acre. 

Mr. R. D. Morrison, of Merle Beach, Mich., grew the Swedish 
Select oat during the years from 1906 to 1909, getting an average acre 
yield of 32.6 bushels. He writes concerning the 1907 crop as follows: 

I raised these oats in the same field as I did some Big Four oats and sowed them 
(the former) 2 weeks later, but they were ripe about the same time. 

In 1908 the yield per acre was 35 bushels, while an adjoining field 
of another variety made 20 bushels per acre. 

182 



24 TEN years' EXPEEIENCE with the SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

South Dakota. 

"Sir. H. C. Warner, of Forestburg, S. Dak., found the Swedish 
Select to be the best variety out of fifty-four under trial on his farm. 
In 1905 it yielded 75 bushels per acre, while other varieties made 50 
bushels. 

This oat was grown by Mr. G. A. Grant at Sherman, S. Dak., dur- 
ing 1906, 1907, and 1908. In the second year he obtained a crop of 
913 bushels, averaging 40 bushels per acre. In 1908 the acre yield 
was the same and the total production 2,453 bushels. The only other 
variety grown on the same farm was the Sixty-Day, also introduced 
by this Department, which yielded 40 bushels per acre. 

Mr. J, E. Behnke, of Beresford, S. Dak., grew the Swedish Select 
oat 7 years, 1903 to 1909, but no report is at hand of his 1906 crop. 
For the other 6 years his average 3'ield per acre was 40.5 bushels, 
the separate yields being for 1903, 30 bushels; 1904, 55 bushels; 1905, 
48 bushels; 1907, 50 bushels; 1908, 25 bushels; and 1909, 35 bushels. 
Yields of other varieties for certain years were as follows: 1903, 28 
bushels; 1904,41 bushels; 1905,35 bushels; and 1908, 20 bushels. 

Prof. J. H. Shepard, of Brookings, S. Dak., in addition to his official 
experience with introduced grains obtained through this Department, 
has taken much interest in a private way in trials on his own land of 
some of the best varieties. He states his experience with the Swedish 
Select as follows: 

I sowed some on corn ground, some on manured land, and some on very rich ground. 
My findings are as follows: Remember the season (1905) was excessively wet. After 
barley and after oats I got a good stand ; the oats did not go down and the berries were 
plump and heavy. The same is true after wheat. • 

On rich ground the oats lodged some in patches, but they all filled. On heavily 
manured land they went down in patches and they filled well, except where the lodged 
places occurred. On corn ground they lodged more, but not enough to prevent filling 
in the lodged places. On no kind of ground did thej^ all go down, but in patches only. 
I believe that had the season been dry I would have had no lodged oats on any of these 
places and that the quality of the oats would have been al.1 that could be desired. 
Naturally enough, the higher the ground the better the oats were during the past wet 
season. During dry seasons they might be sown on low land. 

The record of yields this year (1906) was somewhat lower than last, owing to my ex- 
perimenting under different conditions and also to the fact that a slight hailstorm 
ruined many berries when they were just coming into milk. My yield this year was 
65 bushels per acre, last year 75 bushels, while under the best conditions on our experi- 
mental grounds the yield rose to 84 bushels per acre. But the most remarkable thing 
to my mind is that on my old land, v/hich had been systematically robbed by 25 years 
of wheating, the best yield of oats I ever could get was 40 bushels of White Russian oats, 
and I never equaled that figure with any other kind, and I tried all I could get. The 
first year the Swedish Select jumped immediately up to 75 bushels, while the station 
has shown that this is by no means the limit. I sowed but 2 bushels and 1 peck per 
acre, as they are heavy stoolers, but believe that heavier seeding will increase the 
yield. 
182 



RESULTS OF TRIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 25 

Moreover, the analyses of these oats, as made in my laboratories, show them to be 
exceptionally rich in protein. It is for these reasons that we consider them to be the 
best all-around oats for the Dakotas. They mature in about 108 days. 

New York. 

An interesting 6-year trial of the Swedish Select oat was made by 
Mr. S. J. Smith at Manchester, N. Y., beginning in 1903. His yields 
per acre were 84 bushels in 1903, 80^ bushels in 1904, 70 bushels in 

1905, 75 bushels in 1907, and 60 bushels in 1908, or an average for 
these five years of 73.9 bushels. No report is received for the year 

1906. The average yield of other varieties on the same and adjoining 
farms for the years from 1903 to 1905 was 60 bushels, and the average 
yield for the State of New York for the period from 1903 to 1908 was 
32.6 bushels. Mr. Smith comments on his results as follows: 

(1903.) A month of very hot, dry weather retarded a good start. One marked feature 
of the oat is its uniform berry. 

(1904.) Our men thought more seed sown would have increased the crop to 90 bush- 
els per acre (2 bushels per acre were sown). Potatoes were grown on the land the pre- 
vious year. The soil was fairly fertile. 

(1905.) The oats were grown on land that had not been clovered or fertilized for 10 
years, and wet weather made a lumj^y seed bed. On another farm this oat outyielded 
two other kinds 20 bushels per acre. 

(1907.) Have discontinued growing the Sixty-Day oat. It is too light and the color 
is not satisfactory.^ The Swedish Select forwarded to us by you in 1903 is an ideal oat 
in every way. Can not grow enough to supply our seed trade. 

(1908.) Ithas produced fine crops and the very best farmers have continued growing 
this variety. It is well adapted to clay soil. Last year our sales were about 4,000 
bushels, and we could have sold many carloads at good prices if we had had the supply. 

Wisconsin. 

As already mentioned, the most extensive series of tests of the Swed- 
ish Select oat by farmers was made in Wisconsin. These tests were 
rendered all the more thorough and accurate through the important 
part taken by members of the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment 
Association. There are now in this office reports on this oat for both 
1904 and 1905 from more than two hundred cooperators in Wiscon- 
sin. A number of these have sent reports for other years also. 
Very brief extracts are here reproduced from some of the most 
instructive of these reports. 

Mr. A. D. Larson, of Waupaca, Wis.: 

(1904.) The Swedish Select proves to be very well adapted to our soil and climate. 
It is by far the best yielder and of good quality. Yield per acre, 57 bushels. Ameri- 
can Banner, 40 bushels. 

(1905.) The soil on which I sowed the oats has been cropped continuously for 12 
years without any fertilizer or clover seeding, yet the Swedish Select did very well. 
Yield per acre, 28 bushels. Average yield of other varieties, 20 bushels. 
182 



26 TEN YEARS EXPEETENCE WITH THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

Mr. Joseph Reich, of East Gibson, Wis.: 

(1904.) The oats ripened earlier than other oats of this vicinity, which had some 
smut and were more affected by the rust in general. Yield per acre, 86 bushels. 
Quality of grain, extra good. Average yield per acre of other kinds in the same lo- 
cality, 50 to 60 bushels. 

(1905.) I must say that this oat has a tendency to lodge in our locality. I would 
have thrashed at least 75 bushels if none had lodged, but I had to cut about half of it 
for hay. It ripens a week or 10 days earlier than our other varieties. Yield per 
acre, 55 bushels. Quality of grain, extra good. Average yield of other kinds in same 
locality, 35 to 40 bushels. 

Mr. II. W. Kent, of Rusk, Wis.: 

(1904.) The oats were cut a little green because of the rust and lodging. This variety 
does better than other varieties grown here. Yield per acre, 45 bushels. Quality of 
grain, average. Average yield per acre of other kinds in same locality, 40 bushels. 

(1905.) This oat does better on light "soil than on heavy. Yield per acre, 40 bush- 
els. Quality of grain, good. Average yield of other kinds in the same locality, 30 
bushels. 

Mr, J. W. Stevenson, of Rice Lake, Wis. : 

(1904.) I consider it a very good variety for this locality, being a good yielder and 
standing up well. Yield per acre, 50 bushels. Average yield of other kinds, 45 
bushels. 

(1905.) The Swedi.^h Select for the last 3 years has yielded about 10 bushels more 
per acre than other varieties I have grown, and I think it is superior for feeding pur- 
poses. Yield of other varieties in same locality, 25 bushels. 

Mr. A. C. Hagastad, of Etrick, Wis.: 

(1904.) The ground was a mixed clover and timothy sod, and one of the lowest 
and worst fields we have for lodging. When the crop was 4 to 6 inches high we had 
about one week of cold, rainy weather, which set it back for a long time. It ripened 
several days ahead of our Siberian oat. It is a heavy yielder, the kernels are large 
and plump. Will sow all Swedish Select next year. Yield per acre, 70 bushels. 
Quality of grain. No. 1. Average yield of other kinds in same locality, 60 bushels. 

(1905.) The straw is heavy and stiff, so will not lodge easily on rich soil. On lighter 
Boil the straw is not so large but heads out good. Yield per acre, 66 bushels. Quality 
of grain. No. 1 . Average yield of other kinds, 50 to 60 bushels. 

Mr. Clarence Jordalen, of Stoiighton, Wis.: 

(1904.) Am very well pleased with the Swedish Select oat. I like it because it is 
a greater yielder than the other oats I have, raised. It has a very stiff straw and will 
not lodge very quickly. Yield per acre, 60 bushels-. Quality of grain, fairly good. 
Average yield of other kinds in same locality, 35 bushels. 

(1905.) The variety seems to be adapted to this part of the country, for all who try 
it meet with success and grow no other kinds. Yield per acre, 62 bushels. Quality 
of grain, exceedingly good; plump and heavy. Average yield of other varieties in 
same locality, 30 bushels. 

Mr. John E. Charley, of Ellsworth, Wis.: 

(1904.) 1 am sorry to say that this oat is not liked here. I had it two years, but 
did not sell one bit of it for seed. The straw is too coarse and the hull is too thick. We 
have had the Lincoln and Silver Mine. 
182 



EESULTS OF TRIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 27 

Mr. P. J. Bonzelet, of Eden, Wis.: 

(1905.) This is the best oat, all things considered, that I have ever seen. Yield 
per acre, 60 bushels. Quality of grain, good. Average yield of other varieties, 35 to 
40 bushels. 

Mr. Edward Martin, jr., of De Pere, Wis.: 

(1904.) This oat is of the finest quality I have ever seen. It will weigh about 40 
pounds to the bushel, ^lien I seeded last spring it averaged 108 pounds to the sack. 

Mr. F. H. Williams, of Whitewater, Wis.: 

(1905.) I am not at all pleased witli the Swedish Select oat. Have tried it 2 years 
witli about the same result. It does not yield good, crinkles down as soon as it begins 
to ripen, and has a very thick hull. One of my neighbors had 20 acres on good prairie 
soil that only yielded about 30 bushels per acre. Another got a yield of 23 bushels per 
acre. Yield per acre, 25 bushels. Quality of grain, good; very thick hull. Yield 
per acre of American Banner, same locality, 40 bushels. 

Mr. J. W. Raven, of Bloomer, Wis.: 

(1904.) Those that see the oats want seed. It is the best we have ever raised. A 
common grain sack holds 105 to 120 pounds. Will have seed grown from 100 acres to 
sell next year. Yield per acre, 40 bushels. Quality of grain, No. 1. Average yield 
of other varieties, 35 bushels. 

Mr. John Patterson, of Cumberland, Wis.: 

(1904.) I have grown this oat- for 2 years and will say that while the yield is very 
good the quality is extra good and it ripens from 10 days to 2 weeks before any other 
variety and about 4 weeks before the side oats, which is the latest kind we have here. 
All the Swedish Select I grew last year I sold for seed, and what I have grown this 
year will be sold for seed. Yield per acre, 68 bushels. Average yield of other vari- 
eties on same farm, 55 bushels. 

Mr. H. S. Pomroy, of Edgerton, Wis.: 

(1904.) I did not keep a record of this variety, but fovmd it not nearly as good as 
common white oats grown next to it under the same conditions. I shall not try it next 
season. 

Mr. C. A. Peterson, of Cambridge, Wis.: 

(1904.) The Swedish Select is superior to other varieties in even stand, earliness, 
heavy kernel, and trueness to type. Yield per acre, 58 bushels. Quality good. 
Average yield of other varieties, 26 to 30 bushels. 

Mr. H. R. Moldenhauer, of Lebanon, Wis.: 

(1904.) The Swedish Select is the best oat ever raised in this country. All 
other varieties had very much rust, this oat not enough to mention. The berry is 
plump, and the yield is more than double that of other crops. Yield per acre, 75 
bushels. Quality very good. Average yield of other varieties, 30 bushels, and poor 
at that. 

Mr. A. J. Moe, of Midway, Wis.: 

(1904.) The variety is a fak yielder, stands up well, weighs heavy, and ripens 
about 2 weeks earlier than other kinds. Yield per acre, 40 bushels. Quality, fine and 
plump. Average yield of other kinds, 25 to 30 bushels. 
182 



28 TEN YEAKS^ EXPERIENCE WITH THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

Mr. Reuben Holmgreen, of Black River Falls, Wis,: 

(1904.) My Swedish Select was the best of three kinds. Yield per aci"e, 70 bushels. 
Quality of grain, No. 1. Average yield of other varieties in same locality, 40 bushels. 

Mr. W. S. Hood, jr., of Franksville, Wis.: 

(1904.) People who saw the Swedish Select claim it was as nice an oat as they had 
ever seen and wished me to save seed for them. The kernel has a large meat and thin 
shuck. Yield per acre, 50 bushels. Quality of grain good. Yield per acre of Silver 
Mine oat, 40 bushels. 

Mr. H. D. Griswold, of West Salem, Wis.: 

(1904.) Other oats adjoining the Swedish Select on the same farm yielded 48 bushels 
per acre, while the latter yielded 61 bushels. Many fields of other varieties yielded 
only 30 bushels. 

Mr. G. R. Downer, of Appleton, Wis.: 

(1904.) This is the third year I have grown this oat, and I like it better than any I 
have ever tried. Yield per acre, 63 bushels. Quality good. Average yield of other 
varieties, 50 bushels. 

Mr. John Dougan, of Beaver Dam, Wis.: 

(1904.) The only fault I can find with this variety is that the hulls are rather thick 
and tough. Yield per acre, 50 bushels. Average yield of other varieties, about 40 
bushels. 

Mr. C. R. Blodgett, of Marshfield, Wis.: 

(1904.) The best oat I have ever used in this locality, and I try to get the best. 
Yield per acre, 96 bushels. Quality good. Average yield of other varieties, 65 
bushels. 

Mr. J. W. Kaiser, of Foxlake, Wis. : 

(1904.) I was very much pleased with this variety. I had 15 acres this year and 
harvested 700 bushels of the best oats in this part of the country. Other varieties 
averaged from 15 to 35 bushels per acre. 

Some conflict may be noted in these reports in respect to the lodg- 
ing of the Swedish Select oat. This may be because of local differ- 
ences in soil conditions or "lay of the land," or more often, perhaps, 
because of different previous experiences with other varieties. This 
oat is known to lodge badly on low rich ground. At the same time, 
some other varieties may lodge worse. There is also a difference in 
opinion as to the thickness of the hull. This variety is probably not 
far from the average in this respect, so the hull may appear thick or 
thin to the grower, depending on the varieties he has formerly grown. 

Miscellaneous. 

Mr, J. M. Mailer, of Fremont, Xebr., writes as follows concerning 
his crop of 1905: 

It was drilled in on April 25 on cornstalk ground that was disked over twice and not 
plowed, and was harvested July 20, and was stacked and thrashed October 18. It 
yielded 680 bushels on 10 acres, or 68 bushels per acre. It was well matm'ed when I 
cut it, but it never broke down like the other kinds of oats I had alongside of it. 
182 



RESULTS OF TRIALS IN THIS COUNTRY. 29 

At Odebolt, Iowa, in 1904, the yields of ordinary oats were 40 to 45 
bushels per acre, while the Swedish Select yielded from 50 to 60 
bushels. Mr. J. A. Cranston, of that place, writes as follows: 
These oats ripened about 5 days earlier than common oats. 

L. and H. Goeppinger grew the Swedish Select variety for 3 years 
at Boone, Iowa, and in 1906 harvested 789 bushels, making an aver- 
age yield of 43 bushels per acre, compared with 36 bushels produced 
by other oats. This is especially good, inasmuch as in recent years 
there have been wet seasons in that region which are particularly 
unfavorable to this variety. 

Mr. A. W. Edson, of Austin, Minn., writes: "In this vicinity oats 
had to be j^lanted in soil too wet." Yet, in his second year's trial of 
the Swedish vSeiect (1906) it yielded 52 bushels per acre, compared 
w^ith 40 bushels produced by other varieties. In 1907 the yield was 
23 bushels per acre, other varieties averaging 18 bushels. 

At North Water Gap, Pa., Mr. Luther Michael obtained a yield of 
129 bushels per acre with the Swedish Select in 1904. In his report 
he makes the following statement: 

Quality of grain, first class. Average yield per acre of other oats in the same locality, 
40 bushels. The Swedish Select made a very rapid growth from the start and riijened 
10 days earlier than any other variety in this section sowed at the same time. It is the 
best oat I ever grew. 

Mr. M. B. Smith grew the oat at Belfast, Me., in 1903, and reports 
as follows : 

Sown broadcast and harrowed in (would have done better drilled). Yield per acre, 
65 to 70 bushels. Quality of grain, best I ever saw. Yield per acre of other kinds in 
same locality, 45 to 50 bushels. It was said by farmers who saw it that it was stouter 
and of better quality than any other grain they had ever seen raised in that country. 

INTERESTING INDIVIDUAL TRIAL. 

The most interesting case of success with the Swedish Select oat is 
that of the trial by Mr. David Jones, of Brandon, Wis. In the early 
spring of 1899 his son, Prof. L. R. Jones, of the University of Ver- 
mont, during a brief visit to the United States Department of Agri- 
culture, obtained 36 kernels of this oat from an exhibition sample and 
sent them to Mr. David Jones. These were planted that same spring, 
and we have the following account from Prof. L. II . Jones of the 
behavior of the variety from that time forward : 

Each seed was planted by itself, 6 inches apart. Thu-ty-three of the seeds grew, 
making a strong stand and yielding If pounds of grain. The next year, 1900, all of the 
If pounds was sown in drills, but no further attention was given it. Unfortunately, 
the grain was invaded and trampled down in midsummer, and so did not have a chance 
to develop a full crop. The yield was approximately 1 bushel. The third year, 1901, 
this bushel was sown broadcast on one-half acre and no special care given to it. The 
yield was 40 bushels of grain by measure, weighing 40 pounds per measured bushel, 
producing, therefore, 50 bushels by weight at 32 pounds per bushel. 
182 



30 TEN years' experience with the SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

In 1902 about 5 bushels of this seed were given to each of three other persons. None 
of their crop was saved as seed and no record is available of their yields. Mr. Jones 
sowed about 35 bushels on 12 acres. This yielded 900 measured bushels, weighing 40 
pounds per bushel, which by weight would amount to 1,125 bushels. The yield was, 
therefore, 93 bushels per acre by weight. All of this crop was saved for seed. 

In the fifth year, 1903, about 750 bushels of Mr. David Jones's crop were used by 
him or sold in his immediate neighborhood for seed. The only exact available record 
for the season is that Mr. F. E. Jones sowed 20 bushels on 10 acres and obtained a crop 
of 780 bushels by measure, weighing 40 pounds per measured bushel, making, there- 
fore, a yield by weight of 975 bushels, or at the rate of 97.5 bushels per acre. It would 
be a safe estimate to say that 20,000 bushels were produced from this seed in 1903. 

Mr. David Jones has taken much interest in work of this kind, 
which has not only been of much pubhc benefit, but has always 
resulted very profitably to himself because of his careful selection of 
seed and the manner in which the crop has been handled. He has 
done similar thorough work with other varieties of oats, one of which, 
the Sixty-Day, was also introduced by this Department. 

RECENT REPORTS. 

Many of the preceding reports were written several years ago. The 
following reports are more recent and give a good idea of present con- 
ditions in Wisconsin with respect to this oat. 

Mr. H, F. Kramer, of Bloomer, Chippewa County, Wis. : 

It gives me pleasure to testify to the merits of Swedish Select oats, which I have 
grown for the past 6 years, for they have surpassed any of the other varieties tried in 
this locality in appearance, weight, large, plump kernels, early maturity, and a strong 
straw. WTiile attending the short course in agriculture during the winter of 1902, I 
saw these oats for the first time. They appeared to be so much better than any others 
that I determined to secure some for seed, and was one of the first to apply when 
Professor Moore offered them to the experiment association for trial. The plat of 
ground on which they were sown was a good fertile soil, and the growing oats had a 
thrifty and healthy appearance all summer. \\'hen ready to harvest the oats aver- 
aged about 5 feet in height. The 80 pounds of seed which I had secured yielded 56 
measured bushels, or 70 by weight. The season of 1903 was an unfavorable one to the 
growth of oats, but they led all others that I noticed. Even this last summer of 1907, 
the poorest in years, the Swedish oats are ahead at least 5 bushels per acre, and in 
quality also. One more feature, they are practically free from smut and very easily 
kept so. I have tried both broadcast seeder and the drill with 2J bushels to 3^ bushels 
per acre, but find that 3 bushels sown with a drill produces the best results. I have 
had a ready sale for all that I have grown, in fact, never had enough to fill all of the 
orders I receive for seed. After shipping seed to various jiarts of the country, both 
by carload and in small lots, I have yet to hear the first complaint. To sum it all up, 
they do well and take wherever tried. 

Mr. Fred G. Stroup, of Fond du Lac, Fond du Lac County, Wis. : 

The land on which the oats were sown was black prairie soil which sloped to the 
west with good natural drainage. The land had had corn on it the year before. From 
the 4 acres we thrashed 180 bushels, machine measm-e, or 45 bushels per acre. The 
other oats that we raised that year in the same field, following the same crop, yielded 
52 bushels, machine measure, but were sown 2 bushels per acre, while the Swedish 
182 



QUALITY OF KERNEL IN THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 31 

Select were sown 1 bushel per acre. We consider that the Swedish Select oats did 
considerably the best and have grown them exclusively during the past 3 years. We 
have had them yield as high as 75 bushels per acre by weight. We have sold this va- 
riety quite extensively for seed to farmers living in our neighborhood, and there is 
not a single case where it did not do better than the other varieties. The neighboring 
farmers have been loud in their praise of the Swedish Select oats. 

Mr. H. E. Rosenow, of Oconomowoc, Waukesha County, Wis.: 

We have been growing the Swedish Select oats for the past 4 years with satisfactory 
results as compared with other varieties, although we have at no time had an extra 
heavy crop. Comparing the yield with a variety of yellow oat grown for several years 
past, we have found the Swedish to yield a few bushels more per acre when grown in 
the same field; both varieties seemed to be affected about equally with rust, and during 
the past 3 years the rust has no doubt lowered the yield considerably. The Swedish 
oats also lodged quite badly nearly every year, but all other grain also went down, and 
thus it can not be said that some other variety has a stiffer straw, as they all seemed 
to be treated alike during some of our heavy storms, but I believe if the Swedish is 
given a fair chance it will stand up with any other variety grown. It has a somewhat 
coarser straw than some smaller varieties of yellow oats grown about here, and the 
kernel is also larger, but in comparing the inside of the kernel it will hold its own with 
any variety regardless of color, afe the hull is very thin, thus increasing the feeding 
value considerably. 

The demand for pure seed from this variety has been exceptionally good during 
the past few years, and we have always sold all we had to offer for seed at a fair price 
and have not only sold to growers in the neighborhood, but have shipped a consider- 
able quantity to other farmers, as well as carloads to seed houses. It is just as easy to 
grow pure seed of any A'ariety, and there is certainly more i^rofit and pleasure con- 
nected with it. 

Mr. Charles H. Howitt, of Randolph, Dodge County, Wis.: 

We have been growing the Swedish oats for the past 4 years. In the spring of 1904 
I secured 1^ bushels of seed from L. L. Olds Seed Company. This was sown on three- 
fourths of an acre of ground alongside of our common variety. The soil was of a heavy 
clay nature. There was a difference to be seen all through the growing season, the 
Swedish being of a darker green color and seemed to make a heavier growth. About 
10 days before ripening they lodged quite badly on account of a storm, and accord- 
ingly the grain that we thrashed was rather light weight. The yield was at the rate 
of 50 bushels per acre. 

The following spring we sowed 8 acres of the Swedish and 6 acres of our common 
variety in separate fields on the same kind of soil and both following a crop of barley. 
The Swedish yielded a trifle over 50 bushels per acre and the common variety 40 
bushels per acre, a difference of 10 bushels in favor of the Swedish oats. The past 2 
years we have grown the Swedish oats entirely for our main crop, with very satisfac- 
tory results. 

The Swedish oats are now grown quite extensively in our neighborhood, and from 
what I have been able to learn from those who have grown them tliey seem to be the 
best adapted to a well-drained heavy soil. 

QUALITY OF THE KERNEL IN THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

Soon after the introduction of the Swedish Select oat, many Wis- 
consin farmers remarked on the quality of the kernel, mentioned the 
thinness of the hull, and considered it to be in several respects an 
improvement over other kinds. (PI. IV.) Our own investigations 

182 



32 TEN YEARS ^ EXPERIENCE WITH THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

later have shown tliat several other varieties exceed the Swedish 
Select both in weight per bushel and proportion of meat to hull, but 
a larger num})er of varieties are inferior to it in these characteristics, 
and particularly so in the case of Wisconsin oats. Compared with 
the more commonly grown varieties, therefore, it remains true that 
this kernel stands rather high in quality in the chief oat districts of 
tlie United States. 

Tiie following interesting determinations were furnished by Mr. 
C. W. Warburton, now in charge of oat investigations of the Bureau of 
Plant Intlustiy. The weight per bushel, the weight of 1,000 kernels, 
and the percentage of meat in the kernel were determined in samples 
of a number of different oat varieties grown in Wisconsin, Kansas, 
North Dakota, and Montana, with results as given in the following 
table: 

Table VII. — Weight per bushel, weight of 1,000 grains, and percentage ofhernel to whole 
grain in a number of different oat varieties grown in several States. 

AVISCONSIN. 



Kherson. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . . 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams). 

Percentage of meat in kernel . . 
Sixty-Day. 

Weight per bushel (pounds). . . 

Weight of 1,0(10 grains (grams;. 

Pereentage of meat in kernel. . 
Swedish Select. 

Weight per bushel (pounds). . . 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams). 

Percentage of meat in kernel . . 
White Bedford. 

Weight per bushel (pounds). . . 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams). 

Percentage of meat in kernel. . 
White Tartar. 

Weight per bushel (pounds). . . 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams). 

Percentage of meat in kernel. . 
Belyak. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) .. 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams). 

Percentage of meat in kernel. . 
Wisconsin Wonder. 

Weight jier Inishel (pounds)... 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams). 

Percentage of meat in kernel. . 
Golden Fleece. 

Weight per bushel (pounds). . . 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams). 

Percentage of meat in kernel . . 
N. K. A: Co. White. 

Weight per bushel (pounds)... 

Weight of 1,(K)0 grains (grams). 

Percentage of meat in kernel. . 



35.50 
22.19 

78.07 

30.50 
18.85 
72.60 

34.00 
24. 25 
70.09 

35.50 
21.05 
73.42 

32.50 
19.84 
69.13 

35.50 
25.98 
70.35 

33. 50 
23. 73 
70.16 



1906. 



33.75 

18.75 
70.08 

29.25 
16.88 
73.74 

36.50 
29.71 
69.63 



29.50 
19.28 
57.55 

23.75 

22.78 
54.86 



25.25 
12.68 
65.65 

26.25 
13. 97 
66.45 

27.50 
23.84 
67.44 

24.50 
17.70 
65.83 

27.00 
19.38 
69.86 

26.00 
17.41 
67.38 

23.00 
17.33 
63.71 

22.25 
15.47 
66.17 

19.75 
15.74 
59.61 



Average. 



31.50 
17.87 
71.27 

28.67 
16.57 
70.93 

32.67 
25.93 
69.05 

30.00 
19.67 
69.62 

29.75 
19.61 
69.49 

30.75 
21.69 
68.86 

28.25 
20.53 
66.93 

26.00 
17.37 
61.86 

21.75 
19.26 
57.24 



1S2 



Bui. 182, Bureau of Plant Industry, U. S. Dept. of Agricultur 



Plate IV. 





QUALITY OF KERNEL IN THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 



33 



T.\BLE VII. — Weight per bushel, iveight of 1,000 grains, and 'percentage of kernel to ivhole 
grain in a number of different oat varieties groivn in several States — Continued. 

MONTANA.a 



Sixty-Day. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . 
Weight of 1,000 grains (graifls) 
I'ercentage of meat in kernel. . 

Swedish Select. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . 
Weight of 1,000 grains (grams) 
Percentage of meat in kernel. . 

Salzer's Big Four. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . 
Weight of 1,000 grains (grams) 
Percentage of meat in kernel. . 

Siberian. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . 
Weight of 1,000 grains (grams) 
Percentage of meat in kernel. . 

Clydesdale. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . 
Weight of 1,000 grains (grams) 
Percentage of meat in kernel.. 

Progress. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . 
Weight of 1,000 grains (grams) 
Percentage of meat in kernel. . 



1906. 



.39.00 
24.44 

77. 64 

40.25 
32.89 
77.69 

40.25 
28.54 
76.30 

42.00 
32.99 
70.99 

40.25 
31.72 

75.28 

41.50 
30.52 
72.35 



1907. 



35.75 
22.64 
76.05 

38.75 
29.82 
71.40 

41.00 
29.06 
70.75 

41.25 
33.86 
75.46 

41.00 
30.59 
69.36 

40.75 
29.78 
72.29 



Average. 



37. 37 
23. 54 

76. 84 

39.50 
31.35 
74.54 

40.62 
28.80 
73.52 

41.62 
33.42 
73.22 

40.62 
31.15 
72.32 

41.12 
30.15 
72.32 



a All samples of grain from Montana contained a considerable percentage of hulled kernels; hence, the 
weight per bushel is somewhat higher than the grain itself justifies. 

NORTH DAKOTA. 



1907. Average. 



Sixty-Day. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . . 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams) . 

Percentage of meat in kernel. . . 
Seventyfive-Day. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . . 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams). 

Percentage of meat in kernel. . . 
Swedish Select. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . . 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams) . 

Percentage of meat in kernel. . . 
Tartarian. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . . 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams) . 

Percentage of meat in kernel. . . 
Belyak. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . . 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams). 

Percentage of meat in kernel. . . 
North Finnish Black. 

Weight per bushel (pounds) . . . 

Weight of 1,000 grains (grams) . 

Percentage of meat in kernel. . . 



38.25 
19.44 
75.29 



37.50 
30.14 
69.49 



35.75 

22. 22 
75.' 81 

36.00 
24.01 
73.45 

34.00 

28.84 
70.78 

31.00 
23.08 
68.15 

31.75 

26.48 
67.58 

30.00 
21.19 
66.40 



37.00 
20.83 
75.55 



35.75 
29.49 
70.23 



KANSAS, 1907. 










Weight 

per 
bushel. 


Weight 
of 1.000 
graln.s. 


Meat in 
kernel. 


Sixty-Day 


Pounds. 
34.50 
29.25 
27.25 
26.50 
38.75 
27.75 
25.25 
26.25 
25.25 
28.50 


Grams. 
20.27 
17.44 
20.31 
17.46 
32.01 
25.75 
17.33 
21.79 
19.34 
21.85 


Per cent. 
75 85 


Early Champion 


74.32 


White Russian 


72 63 


Kherson 


72.45 


Swedish Select 


72 19 


Red Rustproof 


70.54 


Stavropol 


69.92 


Silver Mine 


68.62 


Minnesota, No. 202 


67.87 


Canadian 


60.84 







l8:i 



34 TEN YEAES' EXPEEIENCE WITH THE SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

The percentage of meat in the kernel was determined by hulling 
100 kernels taken at random from a fair sample, weighing the hulls 
and inside portions separately, and then calculating the percentage 
of the latter weight to the combined weight. An average of three 
such determinations for each sample gave the result that is set down 
for each variety each year. 

The largest amount of data was obtained from Wisconsin material. 
Of the varieties examined from that State, the Swedish Select stands 
much the highest in weight per bushel in an average of samples from 
3 years' crops, the average weight for this oat being 32.67 pounds. 
Only one other variety, the Kherson, reached even 31 pounds. In 
weight of 1,000 kernels in grams the Swedish Select also exceeds any 
of the others. This quality, however, is not important. In percent- 
age of meat in the kernel this variety falls considerably below those 
having the highest percentages, ranking only fifth in this respect. 
The Kherson and the Sixty-Day are considerably higher, while the 
White Bedford and the White Tartar are also somewhat higher. 

Average determinations of Montana samples out of two years' 
crops show the Swedish Select to be inferior in weight per bushel to 
four others in a comparison with five varieties. In weight of 1,000 
kernels it stands second in rank, and, what is more important, is 
second also in percentage of meat in the kernel. 

In the case of the North Dakota varieties there are averages of 
2 years' samples in only two instances, those of the Sixty-Day and 
the Swedish Select, the latter exceeding the former in both weight 
per bushel and weight of 1,000 kernels, but falling considerably below 
it in percentage of meat in the kernel. For the 1907 crop only, the 
Swedish Select is exceeded by the Seventyfive-Day oat in both 
weight per bushel and percentage of meat, but exceeds the latter in 
weight of 1,000 kernels, and exceeds all the three remaining varieties 
in all these qualities. 

Kansas samples were examined from only one year's crop, that of 
1907. Compared with nine other kinds, the Swedish Select ranks 
fifth in percentage of meat, falling considerably below the Sixty-Day 
in this quality, but exceeds all other varieties in both weight per 
bushel and weight of 1,000 kernels. 

A series of tests similar to the above was made by Shepperd and 
Churchill with a considerable number of varieties at the North 
Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, samples being taken from 
the crops of 1904, 1905, and 1906.« 

The results of these tests show that the Swedish Select stands con- 
siderably above the average of oat varieties in percentage of meat in 

a Bulletin 75, North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, February, 1907, pp. 
317-322. 
182 



VALUE OF THE INTRODUCTION. 35 

the kernel, but considerably below the best in this respect, the Sixty- 
Day and the Tartarian being usually the best. In average weight 
per bushel it was good and stood rather high in weight of 1,000 
kernels. 

On the whole, the tests just mentioned indicate that the Swedish 
Select oat is usually high in weight per bushel and very high in abso- 
lute weight of kernels. At the same time, the percentage of meat in 
the kernel is found to be higher than might be expected, always above 
the average, and sometimes unusually high. The combination of 
these qualities therefore indicates that the feeding value from these 
standpoints is much above the average. 

CHEMICAL ANALYSES. 

For comparison, many chemical analyses of this oat and of others 
have been made by Dr. J. S. Chamberlain, formerly of the Bureau of 
Chemistry of this Department, in connection with laboratory work 
in cooperation with this Bureau. These analyses'* show no extreme 
quality in the Swedish Select, but indicate that it is a variety of good 
feeding value, possessing a protein content above the average and a 
narrow nutritive ratio ; that is, the ratio of protein to carbohydrates 
and fats is rather high. There is an unusually important feature of 
these analyses, however, in the fact that the average results with 128 
samples of domestic-grown Swedish Select oats show a considerable 
increase in protein content over the original introduced seed. This 
is very gratifying, in view of the claim sometimes made that intro- 
duced crops, although an improvement at first, tend to deteriorate 
afterwards. 

VALUE OF THE INTRODUCTION. 

As previously mentioned, the Swedish Select oat has received the 
greatest attention in Wisconisn, though also grown to a large extent 
in South Dakota and Montana. It has been shown that the 10-year 
average yield of this oat at the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment 
Station was 8 J bushels greater than the average of all other varieties. 
Also, calculating the averages of the highest yielding varieties for 
several different periods, in which all varieties were grown every year, 
there is a constant difference in yield of about 12 bushels per acre in 
favor of the Swedish Select in comparison with the next highest variety. 
Taking the mean of these two determinations, or, rather, reducing 
the latter one (for it is the most accurate), we can probably safely 
assume a constant average increase in yield of at least 10 bushels per 
acre for the Swedish Select over that of other varieties in these tests. 

As all varieties were grown under the same conditions it is reason- 

aSee "The Feeding Value of Cereals," Bulletin 120, Bureau of Chemistry, U. S. 
Dept. of Agriculture, 1909, pp. 18-25. 
182 



36 TEN years' experience with the SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 



1903. /904 /90S. /906. /907. /90a. 



able to infer that the Swedish Select oat will show the same supe- 
riority over ordinary kinds when grown throughout the State, It 
will therefore be interesting to calculate the possible increase in oat 
production in Wisconsin if this oat were grown exclusively. The 
average oat acreage of Wisconsin has recently been about 2,400,000 
acres, and the average production about 80,300,000 bushels. The pro- 
portion of this production that is already Swedish Select is 30,000,000 
bushels, or nearly three-eighths of the crop. With the same yield per 
acre, this portion would be grown on nearly three-eighths of the acre- 
age, but of course it is really less. For safety in calculation we will 
assume it to be just three-eighths. Then there remains five-eighths 

of the acreage, or about 
1,500,000 acres, now 
sown to other varieties. 
Ten bushels on each of 
these acres, or in all 
15,000,000 bushels at 
least, would therefore 
be added to the present 
oat production of Wis- 
consin if Swedish Select 
oats were grown exclu- 
sively. 

Now, what is the ac- 
tual present increase in 
production in Wiscon- 
sin due to the use of 
this oat? As stated, 
the present Swedish 
Select acreage is less 
than three-eighths of 
the total. Again, for 
safety in calculation 
we may assume it to be at this time at least one-fourth, or 600,000 
acres. Ten bushels increase on each of these acres, or, 6,000,000 
bushels in all, is therefore the present annual addition to the oat 
production of Wisconsin that can conservatively be credited to 
the use of the Swedish Select. The value of this increase in pro- 
duction at 36 cents per bushel, the average farm price December 1 
for' the years 1904-1908, is $2,160,000. The average farm price 
for 1907, 1908, and 1909, however, was 44 cents per bushel, which 
would increase the value to $2,640,000. Add to this the facts 
that the 6-million-bushel increase is reckoned up to 1908 only and 
that this extra production no doubt continues to be somewhat 
greater each year, and it is seen that the present increase in farm value 

182 




Fig. 3. — Diagram showing in millions of bushels the rapid increase 
in the producLiou of Swedish Select oats in Wisconsin from 1903 
to 1908. 



VALUE OF THE INTRODUCTION. 



37 



is probably not far Iroin $3,000,000 annually, antl certainly over 
$2,500,000, but the more conservative figures will be used. 

The estimated production of the Swedish Select oat in Wisconsin 
ranges from 150,000 bushels, in 1903 to 30,000,000 bushels in 1908. 
This rapid increase is shown graphically in figure 3. Figure 4 shows 
the average farm value of the entire oat crop of Wisconsin, that of the 
Swedish Select oat alone, and the increase in farm value of the entire 
crop due to the use of the Swedish Select variety. 



M/LL/OAyS OF" DOLLy^/^S. 



TO 



m 00 



ro 



CT> 



00 



o 



:^ 



cx> 



/!]\/£:P/IG£ /JA/A/U/JL MlC/£ OF lA//SCdA/S/N O/^T CROP. 





/JNAJU/JL /NC/?£y^S£ //V V/JLOE OF FA/T/PF CFOP OU£ 
TO USE OF SyV£D/SP S£/L£Cr \//^P/£TY. 



Fig. 4.— Diagram showing in millions of dollars the average farm value of the entire oat crop in Wiscon- 
sin, that of the Swedish Select oat, and the annual increase in the farm value of the entire crop due 
to the use of the Swedish Select variety. 

Outside of the State of Wisconsin the present production of the 
Swedish Select oat is more difficult to estimate, but, as already stated in 
the introduction, the entire production in the United States is surely 
50,000,000 bushels annually. Using this figure, the present farm value 
of the Swedish Select oat at the average farm price per bushel for the 
years 1904-1908 is at least $18,350,000 annually. 

182 



INDEX 



Page. 

Abyssinian oat. Sec Oat, Abyssinian. 

Agriculture, Department, distribution of Swedish Select oat 29 

Alaska Agricultural Experiment Stations, experiments with Swedish Select 

oat 20 

oat production, experiments 20 

Swedish Select, adaptability 8 

Arherican Beauty oat. See Oat, American Beauty. 

Triumph oat. See Oat, American Triumph. 
White oat. See Oat, American Wliite. 

Ames, Iowa, experiments in oat production 18-19 

Archangel oat. See Oat, Archangel. 

Austin, C. H. , report on Swedish Select oat in Montana 22 

Babbitt, Marvin, report on Swedish Select oat in Michigan 23 

Badger Queen oat. See Oat, Badger Queen. 

Bailey, James S., report on Swedish Select oat in Michigan 23 

Banner oat. See Oat, Banner. 
Bavarian oat. See Oat, Bavarian. 

Beckwith, B. F., report on Swedish Select oat in Michigan 23 

Behnke, J. E. , report on Swedish Select oat in South Dakota 24 

yield of oats in South Dakota 24 

Belyak oat. See Oat, Belyak. 

Bessey, E. A. , importation of Swedish Select oat 8 

Big Four oat. See Oat, Big Four. 

Black, T. L. , report on Swedish Select oat in Montana 23 

Bland's White oat. See Oat, Bland's White. 

Blodgett, C. R., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 28 

Boehme, F. W., report on Swedish Select oat in Idaho 21 

Bonzelet, P. J., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 27 

Bowman, M. L., publication on Swedish Select oat 18-19 

Bozeman, Mont. , experiments in oat production 14-16 

Brookings, S. Dak., experiments in oat production 16-18 

Canadian oat. See Oat, Canadian. 

Carolus, Jacob, report on Swedish Select oat in Montana 23 

Chamberlain, J. S., chemical analyses of oats : 35 

Champlin, Manley, cooperative experiments in oat production in South 

Dakota 16 

Charley, John E., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 26 

Chemistry, Bureau, cooperation with Bureau of Plant Industry in analyses of 

oats 35 

Cheyenne Wells, Colo., experiments in oat production 18 

Chilcott, E. C, oat experiments in South Dakota, remarks 16, 18 

Churchill, oat kernels, tests of weight in North Dakota, 1904-1906 34-35 

Clark and Houghton, report on Swedish Select oat in Idaho 21 

Clydesdale oat. See Oat, Clydesdale. 

Cole, J. S., cooperative experiments in oat production in South Dakota 16 

statement regarding oat seed distribution in South Dakota 17 

182 

39 



40 TEN years' experience with the SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

Page. 

Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station, experiments in oat production... .'. 18 

oat production, experiments 18 

report on Colorado White oat 22 

reports on Swedish Select oat 21-22 

White oat. See Oat, Colorado White. 
Columbus oat. See Oat, Columbus. 

Cook, -W. W., report on Swedish Select oat in Montana 22 

Copper Center, Alaska, success of Swedish Select oat 20 

Cranston, J. A., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Iowa 29 

Crop, reports, information regarding Swedish Select oat 20 

Danish oat. See Oat, Danish. 

Dougan, John, report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 28 

Downer, G. R., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 28 

Early Champion oat. See Oat, Early Champion. 
Gothland oat. See Oat, Early Gothland. 

Edgeley, N. Dak., experiments with Swedish Select oat 14 

Edson, A. W., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Minnesota 29 

Engbritson, Gilbert, report on Swedish Select oat in Washington 20-21 

Experiment stations, United States, experiments with Swedish Select oat 9-20 

Fargo, N. Dak., experiments with Swedish Select oat 14 

Farmers, tests of Swedish Select oat 20-31 

Finland, Swedish Select oat, growing 7 

Fort Collins, Colo. , experiments in oat production 18 

French, H. T., report on Swedish Select oat in Idaho 21 

Georgeson, C. C, tests of Swedish Select oat in Alaska 20 

Goeppinger, H., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Iowa 29 

L., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Iowa 29 

Golden Beauty oat. See Oat, Golden Beauty. 
Fleece oat. See Oat, Golden Fleece. 

Grain Investigations, Office, crop reports 20 

Highmore, S. Dak., cooperative experiments in 

oat production 16, 17, 18 

Grant, G. A., report on Sixty-Day oat in South Dakota 24 

Swedish Select oat in South Dakota 24 

Great Lakes region, Swedish Select oat, production 7 

Griswold, H. D., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 28 

Hagastad, A. C, report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 26 

Hermes, Rudolph, report on Swedish Select oat in Montana 22 

Highmore, S. Dak., experiments in oat production 16, 17, 18 

with Swedish Select oat 17-18 

Holmgreen, Reuben, report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 28 

Holstein Prolific oat. See Oat, Holstein Prolific. 

Hood, W. S., jr., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 28 

Howitt, Charles H., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 31 

Idaho, reports on Swedish Select oat 21 

Indiana, Swedish Select oat experiments 20 

Introduction to bulletin 7 

Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station, experiments in oat production 18-19 

oat production, experiments 18-19 

reports on Swedish Select and other oats 29 

Irish Victor oat. See Oat, Irish Victor. 

Jones, David, experiments with Sixty-Day oat in Wisconsin 30 

182 



INDEX. 41 

Page. 

Jones, David , individual test of Swedish Select oat in Wisconsin 29-30 

L. R., report on Swedish Select oat test in Wisconsin 29-30 

Jordalen, Clarence, report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 26 

Kaiser, J. W., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 28 

Kansas, oat varieties, comparative weight, 1907 33 34 

Kenai, Alaska, failure of Swedish Select oat 20 

Kent, H. W., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin. . . .' 26 

Kernel, oat, Swedish Select, quality 31-35 

weight, method of determining 34 

Kester, A. S., report on Swedish Select oat in Colorado 22 

Kherson oat. See Oat, Kherson. 

Kramer, H. F., report on Swedish Select oat in Wisconsin 30 

Larson, A. D., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 25 

Lenhoff, Anton, report on Swedish Select oat in Washington 21 

Lincoln oat. See Oat, Lincoln. 

Louis, J. D., report on Swedish Select oat in Idaho 21 

Maher, J. M., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Nebraska 28 

Maine, report on Swedish Select and other oats 29 

Martin, Edward, jr., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 27 

Michael, Luther, report on Swedish Select and other oats in Pennsylvania 29 

Michigan, reports on Swedish Select oat 23 

Minnesota oat. See Oat, Minnesota. 

report on Swedish Select and other oats 29 

Moe, A. J., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 27 

Mogheda oat. See Oat, Mogheda. 

Moldenhauer, H. R., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 27 

Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, experiments with oats 14-16 

oat production, experiments 14-16 

Swedish Select, adaptability 8 

reports 22-23 

weight per bushel 7 

varieties, period of growth, 1900, 1901, 1903-1905 15 

weight, comparative, 1906-1907 33, 34 

per bushel, 1900, 1901, 1903-1905 15 

yield, different varieties, 1900, 1901, 1903-1905 15 

Moore, R. A., comments on Swedish Select oat yield in Wisconsin in 1907 11 

estimate of Swedish Select oat crop in Wisconsin 10 

notes on Swedish Select oat 9 

Morgan, C. H., report on Swedish Select oat in Colorado 21 

Morrison, R. D., report on Swedish Select oat in Michigan 23 

Moscow, Russia, Agricultural Academy, experiments with Swedish Select oat. 8 

N. K. & Co. WTiite oat. See Oat, N. K. & Co. White. 
National oat. See Oat, National. 

Nebraska, report on Swedish Select and other oats 28 

New England, adaptability of Swedish Select oat 8 

York, report on Sixty-Day oat 25 

Swedish Select oat 25 

North Central States. See States, North Central. 

Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, experiments with oats 13-14 

tests of weight of oat kernels.. 34-35 

oat production, experiments 13-14 

Swedish Select, experiments 13-14 

182 



42 TEN years' experience with the SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

Page. 

North Dakota, oat varieties, comparative weight, 1904-1907 33, 34-35 

Finnish Black oat See Oat, North Finnish Black. 

Oat, Abyssinian, No. 155, yield. South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

yield. South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

American Banner, yield, Wisconsin 25, 27 

Beauty, No. 163, yield, South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

yield, Montana, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1904 15 

South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

Triumph, No. 162, yield, South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

yield. South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

White, yield, Montana, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1904 15 

Archangel, yield, Montana, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1904 15 

Badger Queen, weight, Montana 16 

Banner, No. 160, yield, South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

Bavarian, No. 150, yield. South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

Belyak, No. 10624, yield. South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

weight. North Dakota, 1906-1907 33 

Wisconsin, 1905-1907 32 

yield, South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

Big Four, yield, Wisconsin, 1899-1908 11-13 

Bland's White, yield, weight, etc., Montana, 1900, ^901, 1903-1905 15 

Canadian, weight, Kansas, 1907 33 

yield. South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

Clydesdale, weight, Montana, 1906-1907 33 

Colorado White, yield, Colorado 22 

Columbus, No. 156, yield. South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

yield, South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

Danish, yield. South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

Early Champion, weight, Kansas, 1907 33 

yield, weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

Gothland, yield, Wisconsin, 1899-1908 11-13 

Golden Beauty, No. 159, yield. South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

yield. South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

Fleece, weight, Wisconsin, 1905-1907 32 

Holstein Prolific, No. 158, yield. South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

yield. South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

Irish Victor, yield, weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

Joanette, yield, weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

kernels, weight, method of determining 34 

Kherson, weight, Kansas, 1907 33 

Wisconsin, 1905-1907 , 32 

yield, South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

Lincoln, No. 151, yield. South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

yield. South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

Wisconsin, 1899-1905 11-12 

Minnesota, No. 6, yield, weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

26, yield, weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

202, weight, Kansas, 1907 33 

Mogheda, yield, Montana, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1904 15 

N. K. & Co. White, weight, Wisconsin, 1905-1907 i... 32 

182 



INDEX. 43 

Page. 

Oat, National, yield, weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

North Finnish Black, comparison with Swedish Select oat 8 

success in Alaska 20 

weight. North Dakota, 1906-1907 , . . 33 

yield. South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

production, acreage, value, etc., in Wisconsin 35-37 

experiments in Montana 14-16 

North Dakota 13-14 

South Dakota 16-18 

Washington 18 

Wisconsin 9-13 

possible increase in Wisconsin with Swedish Select as ex- 
clusive variety 35-37 

progress, yield, weight, etc., Montana, 1900, 1901, 1903-1907 15, 33 

Red Algerian, yield. South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

Rustproof, weight, Kansas, 1907 33 

Salzer's Big Four, weight, Montana, 1906-1907 33 

Scotch, yield, weight, etc., Montana, 1900, 1901, 1903-1905 15 

Seven tyfive-Day, weight, North Dakota, 1906-1907 33 

Siberian, weight, Montana, 1906-1907 33 

yield, weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

Wisconsin, 1899-1907 11-12 

Silver Mine, weight, Kansas, 1907 33 

yield, weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

Wisconsin, 1899-1908 11-13 

trials by farmers 28 

Sixty-Day, comparison with Swedish Select oat 8 

experiments in Wisconsin 30 

weight, Kansas, 1907 33 

Montana, 1906-1907 33 

North Dakota, 1904-1907 33, .34-35 

Wisconsin, 1905-1907 32 

yield. South Dakota, 1901, 1903-1909 16-18 

trials by farmers 24 

Washington, 1903-1905 18 

weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

Wisconsin, 1905-1908 13 

Stavropol, weight, Kansas, 1907 33 

Swedish Select, adaptability for cold climate 7, 8 

dry climate 7, 8 

Alaska, failure 20 

success 20 

annual production in United States and value 7, 37 

characteristics 7_8 

chemical analyses 35 

comparison with other varieties 8 

cooperative experiments at Highmore, S. Dak 17-18 

distribution of seed in North and South Dakota 17 

drought-resistant quality in Wisconsin 9 

estimate of crop in Wisconsin, various years 10 

experimentsan Indiana and Ohio 20 

North Dakota 13-14 

United States 8-31 

182 



44 TEN years' experience with the SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

Page. 

Oat, Swedish Select, experiments, recent, in Wisconsin 30-31 

freedom from discoloration 17 

growing, experiments and results 7-37 

importation into United States, quantity 8 

individual test in Wisconsin 29-30 

inferiority under certain conditions 13-14 

introduction, distribution, characteristics, etc 7-37 

kernel, weight, comparison with other oats 31-35 

origin and development 7 

popularity in Wisconsin 7 

production in Alaska, experiments 20 

prolific variety 7 

proportion of total oat production in Wisconsin 35-37 

region where grown 7 

reports on production from various States 20-31 

seed , distribution in United States 9 

size result of selection 7 

straw, tendency to overproduction 8 

superiority over other varieties 7, 35-37 

tests by farmers 20-31 

total Wisconsin crop descendant of original seed 10 

trials by experiment stations 9-20 

unfavorable comparison with other varieties in North Da- 
kota 14 

value of introduction into United States 35-37 

weight, Kansas, 1907 33 

Montana, 1906-1907 33 

North Dakota, 1904-1907 33-35 

per bushel 7-8 

result of selection 7 

Wisconsin, 1905-1907 32 

yield, Colorado, 1900, 1905-1907 18 

Madison, Wis 9 

method of comparison 7-8 

North Dakota, comparison with other varieties 14 

South Dakota, 1899-1901, 1903-1909 16-18 

Washington, 1903-1905 18 

weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

Montana, 1900, 1901, 1903-1905 15 

Wisconsin, 1899-1908, comparison with other va- 
rieties 11-13 

1907, comments by Prof. R. A. Moore.. 11 
comparison with other varieties, trials 

by farmers 25-28 

various counties, 1903, 1904, 1907 9-10 

Tartar King, yield, weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

Tartarian, weight. North Dakota, 1906-1907 33, 34-35 

Tobolsk, importation into United States from Russia 7 

yield. South Dakota, 1899-1901, 1904-1908 16-17 

Wisconsin, 1900-1904, 1906-1908 12-13 

White Alaska, yield, weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

182 



INDEX. 45 

Page. 

Oat, White Bedford, weight, Wisconsin, 1905-1907 32 

Danish, yield, weight, etc., Montana, 1900, 1901, 1903-1905 15 

Russian, weight, Kansas, 1907 33 

yield. South Dakota, report 24-25 

weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

Schoenen, No. 153, yield. South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

Tartar, weight, Wisconsin, 1905-1907 32 

yield, South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

weight, etc., Iowa, 1905-1908 19 

Wide Awake, No. 154, yield. South Dakota, 1904-1908 16-17 

yield, South Dakota, 1903-1909 17-18 

weight, etc., Montana, 1900-1905 15 

Wisconsin Wonder, weight, Wisconsin, 1905-1907 32 

yield, Wisconsin, 1899-1908 11-13 

Oats, chemical analyses 35 

cultivation, Wisconsin, 1903, 1904, 1907, data 9-10 

kernel, different varieties, comparison of weight in various States 31-35 

production, Colorado, experiments 18 

Iowa, experiments 18-19 

varieties, comparative weight in Kansas, 1907 33, 34 

Montana, 1906-1907 33, 34 

North Dakota, 1904-1907 33, 34-35 

various States 32-35 

Wisconsin, 1905-1907 32, 34 

period of growth in Montana, 1900, 1901, 1903-1905 15 

superiority in North Central States 13 

weight per bushel in Montana, 1900, 1901, 1903-1905 15 

yield, Colorado, 1905-1907, comparison of different varieties 18 

date of ripening, weight, etc., different varieties, Iowa, 1905-1908. 18-19 
Montana, 1900, 1901, 1903-1905, comparison of different varieties.. 15-16 
North Dakota, 1899, 1900, 1902-1904, 1906-1908, comparison of dif- 
ferent varieties 14 

South Dakota, 1899-1901, 1903-1909, comparison of different 

varieties 16-18 

Washington, 1903-1905, comparison of different varieties 18 

Wisconsin, average, in various counties, 1903, 1904, 1907 9-10 

comparison of different varieties, 1899-1908 9-13 

trials by farmers 25-28 

test in 1899-1908, comparison of varieties 11 

Ohio, Swedish Select oat, experiments 20 

Patterson, J. J., report on Swedish Select oat in Montana 23 

John, report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 27 

Pennsylvania, report on Swedish Select and other oats 29 

Peterson, C. A., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 27 

Pomroy, H. S., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 27 

Progress oat. See Oat, Progress. 

Pullman, Wash., experiments in oat production 18 

Rampart, Alaska, failure of Swedish Select oat 20 

Raven, J. W., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 27 

Red Algerian oat. See Oat, Red Algerian. 

River Valley, North Dakota, experiments with Swedish Select oat 14 

Rustproof oat. See Oat, Red Rustproof. 
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46 TEN years' experience with the SWEDISH SELECT OAT. 

Page. 

Reich, Joseph, report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 26 

Riedesel, J. A., report on Swedish Select oat in Colorado 22 

Rocky Mountains region, Swedish Select oat, production 7 

Rosenow, H . E . , report on Swedish Select oat in Wisconsin 31 

Russia, Moscow, experimental tests of Swedish Select oat 8 

northern, acclimation and development of Swedish Select oat 8 

Petersburg Province, Swedish Select oat, growing 7 

Salzer's Big Four oat. See Oat, Salzer's Big Four. 
Scotch oat. See Oat, Scotch. 

Seed and Plant Introduction and Distribution, Office, crop reports 20 

oat, Swedish Select, distribution in United States. 9 

Seventylive-Day oat. See Oat, Seventyfive-Day. 

Shepard, J. H., report on Swedish Select oat in South Dakota 24-25 

White Russian oat in South Dakota 24-25 

Shepperd, J. H., report on Swedish Select oat in North Dakota 14 

tests of weight of oat kernels in North Dakota, 1904-1906 34-35 

Siberian oat. See Oat, Siberian. 
Silver Mine oat. See Oat, Silver Mine. 

Sitka, Alaska, failure of Swedish Select oat 20 

Sixty-Day oat. See Oat, Sixty-Day. 

Smith, M. B., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Maine 29 

S. J., report on Sixty-Day oat in New York 25 

Swedish Select oat in New York 25 

South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, experiments in oat production. 16-18 

oat production, experiments 16-18 

Sixty-Day, report 24 

Swedish Select, reports 24-25 

WTiite Russian, report 24 

oats, yield of different varieties, 1899-1901, 1904-1908 16-17 

States, North Central, superiority of Silver Mine and Big Four oats 13 

Stavropol oat. See Oat, Stavropol. 

Stevenson, J. W., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 26 

Straw, Swedish Select oat, tendency to overproduction 8 

Stroup, Fred G., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 30-31 

Sweden, origin of Swedish Select oat 7 

Swedish Select oat. See Oat, Swedish Select. 
Tartar King oat. See Oat, Tartar King. 
Tartarian oat. See Oat, Tartarian. 

Tennessee, Swedish Select oat, imadaptability 8 

Texas, Swedish Select oat, unadaptability 8 

Tobolsk oat. See Oat, Tobolsk. 

United States, oat, Swedish Select, annual production and value 37 

experiments 7-31 

Vermont University, reference 29 

Walker, Mrs. S. B., report on Colorado White oat in Colorado 22 

Swedish Select oat in Colorado 22 

Warburton, C. W., data on comparative weight of oats in various States 32-35 

Warner, H. C, report on Swedish Select oat in South Dakota 24 

Washington Agricultural Experiment Station, experiments in oat production. . 18 

oat production, experiments 18 

182 



INDEX. 47 

Page. 

Washington, oat, Swedish Select, reports 20-21 

\\'hite Alaska oat. See Oat, WTiite Alaska. 

Bedford oat. See Oat, White Bedford. 
Danish oat. See Oat, White Danish. 
Russian oat. See Oat, White Russian. 

Schoenen, No. 153, oat. See Oat, White Schoenen, No. 153. 
Tartar oat. See Oat, White Tartar. 
Wide Awake oat. See Oat, Wide Awake. 

Williams, F. H., report on Swedish Select and other oats in Wisconsin 27 

Professor, opinion of Swedish Select oat 8 

Willis, C, cooperative experiments in oat production in South Dakota 16 

Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Association, organization and membership . 9-10 

Station, tests of Swedish Select oat 9-13 

College of Agriculture, reference 9 

oat productipn, acreage, value, etc , 35-3^7 

experiments 9-13 

possible increase with Swedish Select as exclusive 

variety 35-37 

proportion of Swedish Select grown 35-37 

Swedish Select, adaptability 8 

individual test by David Jones 29-30 

IJopularity ■ 7 

recent experiments 30-31 

reports 25-28 

varieties, comparative weight, 1905-1907 32, 34 

oats, yield, different varieties, 1899-1908 11-13 

reports 25-28 

Wonder oat. See Oat, Wiscon'sin Wonder. 

Wright, T. A., report on Swedish Select oat in Colorado 22 

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